Into the Depths
by Anthezar
Summary: A few weeks have passed and Robin, or Dick Grayson, is adjusting to his life as the adopted son of Slade Wilson. Going back to being the leader of the Teen Titans and balancing time with his new father definitely poses its challenges. But, once again, the Titans are called to protect the world as Raven's birthday approaches. Will Dick and Slade survive a journey 'into the depths?
1. Kitchen Trouble

**Into the Depths**

**A Teen Titans Fanfiction**

**by Anthezar**

**Full Summary:** Sequel to _Forgotten Bonds_. Just four weeks have passed since Robin, or Dick Grayson, went back to being the leader of the Teen Titans and through it all, Dick is still adjusting to his new life as the adopted son of Slade Wilson. Balancing time with his friends, budding love, and his new father definitely poses its challenges, though. With this new authority over his life and hero work, staying out of trouble is getting harder than ever; especially when his nights are constantly being plagued by the same terrifying nightmare.

But amongst it all comes a new Titan – Terra. As they quickly accept this new friend into their group, things get more rocky than ever. Puppy love, infatuation, and jealousy abound Titans Tower as they integrate Terra into their lives; and Dick must do everything he can to keep old friendships from becoming too strained.

However, things get even worse as Raven's sixteenth birthday quickly approaches. Mysteries, secrets, choices, birthmarks, demons – new powers emerge through these secrets and Dick struggles to keep his fragile lifestyle from falling apart around him.

But the upheaval surrounding Terra's presence – one which includes trouble, heartache, betrayal, and renewal – will be nothing compared to the events that encompasses Slade; events that might even shatter Dick's tender heart.

As both sides of the veil thin, a battle of colossal proportions threatens to overwhelm the world – and even when the very jaws of Purgatory opens its mouth wide with bared fangs, the Forces that are far more powerful and most certainly higher are always prepared with the perfect plan for the devastating bite – even decades in advance.

New friends, new challenges, and new enemies lurk in the shadows for Dick, his friends, his new family, and his father.

The long awaited sequel of _Forgotten Bonds_ promises a story of friendship, of forgiveness, and of renewal; that no matter what, the supernatural forces that are in existence are always watching over those who reside on the earth; and finally, that sometimes for the ones we love, terrible sacrifices are made to keep them safe.

For Dick, being the son of a military, firm handed, ex-assassin never got harder.

**Genre:** Drama, Family, Angst, Humor, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Action, Adventure, Romance, Supernatural

**Warnings:** Rated T for violence, frightening imagery, very light romance, and mild corporal punishment – if you've read _Forgotten Bonds_, then you know the drill on that. _**No slash**__ – at all_.

**Author's Note:** One year ago to this very day – April 12th, 2013 – _Forgotten Bonds_ was posted for the first time. The months that followed were an amazing experience. All around the world laughter was expressed, tears were fallen, smiles were shown, and hearts were touched – the reviews confirmed this fact all too well. Since its completion nearly nine months ago, over a hundred _more_ reviews have been left – a beautiful reminder that it still is reaching so many more readers. Two characters were developed in a way that no one had ever attempted before. Truly, the impossible had been accomplished.

And the unforgettable bond that was created there, stays here even to this day; unlocking doors and potentials that had never been conceived before.

In honor of that special day, the sequel to _Forgotten Bonds_ is finally here! Welcome!

As some of you may know, I've been experiencing a struggle against my health, in the which I still am. However, through it, I have been working hard for the past two months to be ready for this moment. :3 Somehow, I just knew in my heart I wanted more than anything to post on the same day as the release of _FB_. Thus, it's become a reality. It's quite the miracle. ^^

Posting schedule right now will be **Fridays** once a week, because I can't post more than that at this time. Everybody PRAY that I make this deadline. XD ROTFL. Also, please forgive me if I can't respond much to all reviews. I cannot process that much data at this time. But know that I love you all and the words you leave behind for me. Every word you leave me strengthens me a hundred fold. Every one is greatly appreciated beyond measure. *massive group hug*

For those of you who are newcomers, I suggest you read _Forgotten Bonds_ before this, or you'll find yourself scratching your head and wondering how the _heck_ did Robin and Slade get into a father and son capacity. ^^ Well, that impossible, yet possible tale is a long one and best read first hand.

Oldcomers will be pleased to hear that you can get a PDF version of _Forgotten Bonds_ at GoodReads. (I would also be thankful for any rating and reviews there, so it can get interest, if you're able) In honor of this event, I've also uploaded the completed edits so all future readers can enjoy the fully edited version here on Fanfiction. (Almost, still working on uploading, but nearly done) The story ID is 9195663. (Edit the url on the page and you'll get there) Despite _meticulously_ going through 603 pages of editing, there are still some errors that my eyes have missed. Apparently. (My father found _two_ in the first chapter alone. I freaked out. XD) I am sorry. LOL.

So, for those who haven't read _Forgotten Bonds_, go now before reading this! _Shoo, shoo_. I'll wait for you. ;)

Did you read it? Good. :3

We definitely have quite the story ahead of us. Trials never seem to go away, do they? ^^ Plenty of intense drama for our budding father and son – and, of course, what better environment to do so than the end of the world?

Without further adieu:

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter One**

**Kitchen Trouble**

**April 27th, 2009. Monday, 5:01 am.**

Things were unusually bright that morning.

Well, as unusually bright as it could be at _five o`clock_ in the morning this brisk April day. But that's what it felt like, anyway. Slade had found himself unable to sleep too well that night and had been perusing a newspaper in the effort to fall back asleep; but, feeling the need for an early morning snack, he emerged from his bedroom. However, Slade found himself drawn to some noise that was currently floating from the kitchen. With his large folded newspaper in hand, he walked down the hallway.

His eyes were first assaulted by the state of the normally pristine kitchen. Flour, bowls, batter adorned the countertops. Spoons, forks, bowls all covered in batter and flour were sprawled over the table. Slade could've sworn his cabinets were supposed to be plain wood and not the currently spotted dapple white with a mixture of cream and chocolate batter. How there was batter on the _ceiling_, Slade would never wish to find out.

Basically, the kitchen was a disaster.

Well, the old man, Wintergreen, was definitely not the perpetrator of this. Which left the only possible culprit: Slade's adopted fifteen year old son, Dick, who just also happened to be Robin, the Boy Wonder and leader of the Teen Titans.

Now how that came about – that Slade Wilson, ex-Deathstroke the Terminator became Robin's father – was a long, _long_ story and one far too long to relate at five o`clock in the morning. Needless to say, the two of them were pleased with the arrangements and Slade found that he had his hands full with this energetic, precocious, danger attracting, _heart failure inducing_, crime fighting teen wonder.

Already having a full head of white hair had its perks.

A mop of raven hair darted around the kitchen. The boy didn't see Slade standing at the hallway entrance. Slade raised an eyebrow as he noticed that the boy was speckled with copious amounts of white flour; black hair dappled white. There were a few mumbles of _"Where is it?"_ from the boy, before he darted to a lower cabinet and opened it. How that boy managed to fit _half_ his _body_ inside it, Slade would never know.

_Ah_… But there was this airborne, wiggling target that was just _too_ _irresistible_ to pass up.

Besides, the kitchen looked like the fridge threw up all over it – this was _payback_.

In two strides, Slade reached his objective. With the heavy newspaper in hand, Slade gave the pajama bottomed target one hard swat. The boy jumped so bad out of his skin – it was downright hilarious. There was a cry of shock and pain as the boy banged his head inside the cabinet. That target wiggled as he pulled himself out of the cabinet, falling backwards onto his rump and holding a spot on his head. Slade was graced with a mixture of shock and outrage in the young boy's expression.

"_Dad!_" cried Dick, rubbing his head. "What was _that_ for?"

"_What was that for?_" repeated Slade, tapping the paper on his arm. "First of all, you know better than to leave yourself in such a _vulnerable_ position."

"I should be safe in _my own home!_"

"Second," continued Slade, ignoring the boy. "Have you _seen_ the state of this kitchen? What on earth have you done in here?"

Dick flushed slightly and ducked his head, still rubbing at the spot on his head.

"I was, uh… practicing… how to bake," said Dick, his young cheeks bearing a pink blush.

"What, the kitchen itself?" drawled Slade. Dick flushed even brighter and glared up at Slade.

"_No._ I was trying to bake a cake."

"You don't say."

"I was!"

"Well, it appears you baked everything but the cake," said Slade with a wry smirk. "Mind telling why?"

Slade held out his hand. Dick accepted it and was pulled to his feet. Slade began to brush flour from off the boy, lingering a little longer on top of his head to ruffle his hair playfully. When Slade lingered even longer, he was rewarded with a small giggle and the jerk of the head.

"Well?"

"Um… Well… Ah, Raven's birthday is just four weeks away and I was… just getting a head start on it," said Dick, faltering slightly as he found his words. But at the end, he put on a bright smile.

Slade paused, watching the boy carefully. Dick was smiling at him, but there was a deep hesitancy in his blue eyes. There were light bags beneath those eyes as well, a well known sign that he wasn't sleeping well for a few days. It was more than obvious that Dick was holding something back. A touch of concern licked at Slade's chest as he wondered why Dick wasn't saying what was really wrong.

But that smile was trying to cover it up.

"Aha. Is that why my kitchen needs to be hosed down?" drawled Slade dryly, deciding against pressuring the boy. "Why on earth didn't you ask Will for help?"

"I don't want Will's help," cried Dick, looking indignant. "I want to make it on my own."

"_At five o`clock in the morning?!_ Good grief, boy, why the unholy hour?"

Dick raised an eyebrow.

"Since when were hours ever holy?"

"No tangents at this hour, boy," drawled Slade, his visible grey blue eye glinting slightly. "Why so early?"

A darkened light entered Dick's eyes. However, it was brief as he shrugged and rubbed the bridge of his nose; leaving a brush of flour there.

So it was true – Dick really was holding something back. By the look of his appearance and the time, it was probably another nightmare. But why wouldn't he come to Slade about it? Hadn't Slade made very sure to always be supportive over the nightmares? He knew that with Dick's past, his nights sometimes were filled with the previous terrors that haunted his young life.

If that was the cause this past night… Then, why hadn't Dick sought Slade out?

Slade let a small smirk lift his face and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket. He commenced wiping the flour from the boy's face, exaggerating his movements for the mere fact of messing with the boy. Dick endured it for a moment, before there was a giggle and whine.

"Stop it," said Dick, pulling away, but smiling anyway.

"You resemble a rolling pin," said Slade, still smirking. "Maybe we should put _you_ in the oven and see what pops out. Maybe we'll get roast duck."

"Roast robin would be tastier, right?" grinned Dick impishly.

"Now _there's_ a delicious suggestion," drawled Slade. He considered the boy for a moment. Then, so swiftly that Dick couldn't have seen it coming, Slade scooped the boy into his arms and tossed him over his shoulder to dangle there.

"_Ah! Dad!_"

There was a giggling shriek as Slade used his free hand to tickle the boy's side. There was quite a bit of flailing and laughter as Slade continued his assault on the boy's sensitive stomach. No amount of pushing of the arms nor kicking of the legs could save the boy from Slade's grasp and fingers. The kitchen was flooded with laughing cries and pleas.

Such sounds were heaven sent to Slade's ears.

"I give!" cried Dick finally, his breathing heavy from his laughter. "_Please, stop!_"

The boy wiggled harder in Slade's grasp as his fingers danced along side of Dick's lower stomach. There were more giggles and cries.

"Mmm, should I?" said Slade, his voice drawled coyly; letting his fingers tease the boy's side some more. He was further rewarded with another spazz of limbs from the boy.

"_Yes!_" begged Dick, trying to escape those fingers, yet thoroughly trapped.

"I suppose I should," commented Slade, his tone deeply regretful. He lifted Dick up and wrapped his arms around Dick's thighs so that he was lifted in the air; his speckled black hair brushing against the ceiling. The boy's chest heaved in deep gasps as he began to calm down. But there was a pleasant expression on the boy's face as he looked down at Slade.

"No more tickling," said Dick, folding his arms and giving Slade a forced grumpy look.

_Heh, who said?_

Slade playfully pinched the side of Dick's thigh. The reaction was downright comical. The boy squirmed horribly, losing his balance slightly as he gasped. In the quick moment, Dick had to unfold his arms and grab Slade by the shoulders to retain his balance. There was a startled, widened expression gracing the boy's face at that.

"_Dad!_ Don't do that!" cried Dick, his hands tightening on Slade's shoulders.

"Oh? Why not?" asked Slade, acting completely innocent. He gently pinched both sides of Dick's thighs this time.

"_Ack!_"

The boy flailed in Slade's arms again; completely losing his balance as his arms slid forward with his head falling to the side of Slade's neck. In turn, Slade dropped part of his hold on the boy so that one of his arms supported his seat, while the other supported his back – with Dick's arms surrounding Slade's neck. Slade tightened his hold on the boy.

"You're super tricky, you know that, right?" whispered Dick as he tightened his arms around Slade's neck; his legs slowly wrapping around Slade's waist. Slade adjusted the boy's weight so he could better hold on him.

"The best of his kind."

"If you wanted a hug, you could've just asked, you know."

With the hand that supported Dick's back, Slade gently swatted the boy on his seat.

"Impudent little imp!"

There was a giggle. Dick pulled back in Slade's arms and grinned mischievously; his bright blue eyes glimmering.

"The best of his kind."

Slade let a genuine smile spread across his face. He slowly lowered Dick back to the ground and pulled the boy back into a hug. Thin arms responded by wrapping themselves around his waist as the boy buried his face into Slade's chest.

Times like these were becoming far too precious to Slade. The soft, gentle times where he could see Dick smile like this – such moments were becoming ingrained inside Slade. With each passing day, it seemed as if Slade were becoming shackled to wanting more and more of these dear moments.

Slade never thought his heart could change any more than it had. Just how much further could it get after completely altering his ways and desires in life? Surely his heart couldn't get any more soft than it had. The mere thought of it would've sent sickened chills to his stomach months ago.

But it seemed that Slade was becoming a victim to the laughter and smiles that Dick produced so effortlessly.

It was just too easy to get hooked.

"Dick," began Slade in a soft, gentle voice; hoping the boy would be receptive to his tone. "Tell me the real reason why you're up so early."

The boy stiffened in his arms. If Slade wasn't sure before, he had no doubts now. Those arms tightened around Slade's waist; that head buried itself deeper into Slade's chest. There was a shuddering intake of breath before it was let out slowly.

"Dick?"

"_Don't wanna talk about it_."

The whisper reverberated deep within Slade's chest. He placed a hand onto Dick's head, stroking the speckled strands of black hair; hoping to bring comfort to the child when it was obvious something was troubling him.

_Another nightmare, I suppose._

That worried Slade, there was no doubt about that. Weren't they becoming more frequent lately? That wasn't natural, was it? Surely with the new stability inside Dick's life, wouldn't those old terrors soon fade, not _increase?_

And Dick hadn't once told him what the dreams entailed, which was odd. Dick wasn't exactly forthcoming with his nightmares, but he usually would mention _something_. To not even mention that he was having a nightmare was very disturbing to Slade.

Last week or so, when Dick brought that blasted cat into the haunt, the only thing he mentioned was one thing: _"Everything was horrible."_

What kind of dream could that be?

Slade withdrew from the hug to clasp Dick's cheeks; forcing the boy to look up at him. Those bright blue eyes averted their gaze, trying their hardest not to look up at Slade.

"Look at me."

The boy tucked his lower lip in between his teeth for a moment, before his eyes slowly looked directly into Slade's single eye.

"You do know that you can always come to me, correct?"

Dick nodded within Slade's hands; a glimmer of light flashing over his eyes.

"Then, why haven't you?"

There was a brief moment where Slade truly thought that Dick would open up – where answers would be revealed. Those bright eyes glimmered with such intensity, as if they so wished to tell him everything. But then, the gentle light disappeared quickly from those eyes as Dick shrugged and pulled away from Slade's touch. The boy turned his gaze to the side and shrugged again.

"It's not a big deal, Dad. I'm okay."

Slade was a bit startled with himself as he felt disappointment flow over him like a tidal wave. What would he have done months ago when they hadn't been father and son? Would he have forced the answers out of the boy? Would he have threatened until the boy complied with his wishes? Would the boy have told the truth or something else that would've only placated Slade?

The unknown was driving Slade insane, but he wasn't sure what to do any more.

How was he supposed to help the blasted child if he didn't come to Slade for these types of things? Wasn't that what being a father meant? How could he be there for Dick if the boy didn't open up? It was difficult not to feel disappointed and annoyed.

But then again, the boy was fifteen now. At times, he would want Slade's help and comfort, while other times he would want to endure alone.

But wasn't that what Dick _didn't_ want?

A startled gasp pulled Slade out of his thoughts. He turned around to see the old man, Wintergreen, in a dark brown robe; his hazel green eyes wide in shock. He ran a hand through his pepper grey hair with his other hand on his hip.

"_By the stars above!_" cried Wintergreen; his hand dropping to his other hip. "What in heaven's name happened in here?"

Slade chuckled at the look on the old man's face. Well, it was true – the kitchen looked like road kill, that was for sure. And the little culprit was trying to hide behind Slade currently. Still chuckling, Slade wrapped his arm around Dick's back and forced him forward towards the old man.

"Throw me to the lions, why don't you?" muttered Dick.

"More like the lioness," said Slade with a smirk. That earned him a deep glare from Wintergreen.

"Your laundry is overdue—"

"Of course, it is."

"I am _not_ in the mood to play games here, Slade!" cried Wintergreen as his aged eyes continued to glance around the entire kitchen; taking in every messy detail that splattered the cabinets. "First the feathers, now my kitchen."

The old man put his face into his hand.

"Heaven grant me strength," murmured Wintergreen, shaking his head. Then, with a fierce light in those hazel green eyes, he lifted his gaze and laid it upon Dick.

"_Richard Jonathan Slade Wilson Grayson_, just what have you done with my kitchen?!"

"Why am I in there?" commented Slade dryly; folding his arms and smirking at Wintergreen.

"That's a mouthful for sure," nodded Dick; mimicking Slade's fold of the arms. The man looked down at him; a smirk heavy in his features.

"Did you change your name?"

Dick shook his head. "Not that I know of, sir."

"Stop it, the pair of you!" said Wintergreen, sounding thoroughly exasperated with them. "Richard, just what have you done in here?"

There was a long moment where Dick considered the old man. Then, he quickly pointed up at Slade with a mischievous grin on face.

"He did it!" cried Dick. He tried to dart away, but was instantly caught by the collar of his pajamas. The force caused Dick to bump into Slade's chest. He looked up at the man with a sheepish expression before he tried to flee once again. There was no escape for Dick as this time he was caught by the ear. Wincing, he was pulled back to Slade.

"Well, what do you think we should do with him, Will?" asked Slade, looking down at his captive. Dick sighed deeply and threw his arms up into the air; submitting to his defeat.

"Aw, just hurry up and wallop my butt over this, will ya?"

There was a heavy smirk that lifted Slade's face.

"Oh, I have a _much_ better punishment in mind."

Dick gulped at the sadistic, roguish look on Slade's face.

Thus, that was how Dick found himself on his hands and knees, scrubbing the kitchen floor after straight after breakfast. He never knew just how annoying flour could be. Trying to get it out of the floor was a literal pain in the butt. It was truly taking him hours just clean everything up. Even by the time lunch came around, Dick still hadn't finished with half of the kitchen mess. Now afternoon, he had a sinking feeling he wasn't going to be finished by dinner time either.

It was definitely far faster to mess it up in the first place.

Dick leaned back on his heels for a moment, drawing his arm up to wipe against his dampened forehead. He sighed as his arm dropped to rest on his thigh. He looked around the kitchen, staring at the remaining _multiple_ items of mess that he had created in his attempt at baking.

Well, so he wasn't a baker. He could cook, but he supposed that the finer details of baking eluded him. He had been trying to practice for Raven's upcoming birthday. He knew his friend didn't really like making a big deal of things, but Dick honestly felt that it'd be a good idea to celebrate her birthday – to show her that they were glad she was their friend.

Something wet fell from the ceiling and landed on Dick's head; slowly sliding down his right temple and over his cheek. With a hand, he swiped the gunk from off his face with a grimace.

Maybe he should ask Cyborg to bake the cake…

But that wasn't the only reason Dick had been up so early in the morning. He could've used the kitchen at any time, truly. Wintergreen would've allowed him use of it. It had only been an excuse to use up time and forgot the terror that ravaged his mind now.

His nights were no longer peaceful.

Every night now – _every night_ – Dick experienced the same thing. A total of nine nights had played that same nightmare over and over in his dreams. It was never changing – no change in variance whatsoever. Those same terrible, _horrific_ images every time; the land covered in molten fire; buildings that were once powerful and indestructible laid in ruin and rubble; the sky was darkened in a fiery orange red color, ominous in its oppressive nature – everything built to the cruelest of images and experiences. The dream made it feel all too real – as if he were truly experiencing it first hand.

But that wasn't the worst of it all.

The thing that horrified Dick the most was the carnage. Humans of all ages were scattered across the landscape. Dick had never seen death like this before. Such imagery was burned in his mind forever. How something so awful could rise inside Dick's mind, he could never understand. He never subjected himself to such things – just where was this imagery coming from? How could his subconscious come up with such horrific things on its own?

And then, when the worst couldn't be any more horrifying, there was always one more thing which pushed him over the edge. It was the one part of the dream that made him feel like it had a life of its own; the only part of the dream that did actually vary – that life mocking him with an all too familiar voice; every word doing its all to tear down his soul to the very depths of despair.

_Those terrible red eyes…_

Every time Dick awoke, his entire body felt sickened. Sweat poured from his skin; his heart pounded out of his chest; his stomach felt nauseous to the point of wanting to throw up. Lately, he hadn't screamed any more, of which Dick was grateful for – he didn't want Slade to know what was going on.

It was just too horrible to word out loud. He felt that if he worded such terribly things out loud, they'd have no choice but to come to pass. Dick felt a sickly worry eat away at his heart every time he woke up from the nightmare. It was getting so bad that he was barely sleeping these past nights.

But he really didn't want Slade to worry.

Dick wasn't sure what to do any more. All he knew was that he never wanted to talk about it. He never wanted to speak the words that could bring life to the nightmare. He never wanted it to be a reality, because somewhere deep inside Dick's very core, he felt as if the dream was some untold reality of the world.

Such a thought chilled his very soul.

So, Dick kept it buried. Anything to avoid speaking such things out loud; anything to avoid the reality of its horrors; anything to protect his tender heart. However, in the process, it was beginning to destroy him.

But what could he do?

He was trapped inside his own mind. There was nothing he could do to escape from it all. Even if he did talk to Slade about it, what could the man do for him? Talking about it would only make it worse.

His pocket buzzed suddenly, ringing a soft tone as it was muffed there. Dick withdrew his phone and answered it.

"Yo, Robin, where are you? Why aren't you at the Tower right now?" came Beast Boy's questioning voice through the phone. Dick sighed lightly and sat back onto his seat; his legs crossed.

"I, uh… got into some trouble, you could say," said Dick sheepishly, scratching his cheek lightly. There was a horrified gasp on the other side of the phone and Dick had to quickly move it away from his ear before he went momentarily deaf by the loud voice that boomed through the receiver.

"_What?!_ Did Slade _spank_ you?! You okay? _What happened!?_"

The heat flushed through Dick's face immediately, reaching so high that he could've sworn his hair turned red to match his cheeks. With his face ever so hot, Dick brought the phone to his mouth and took a deep breath.

"_BB! Shuddup!_"

Dick took another breath to calm himself down, ever aware of the fiery heat in his face at the total embarrassment and mortification that was pouring through him at that moment. Honestly, why couldn't Beast Boy show just a _little_ consideration here? Surely he knew how _embarrassing_ it was alone without the _whole_ freaking world knowing.

"It's not any of your business how or _if_ my father disciplines me or not," hissed Dick into the phone, trying extremely hard not to grind his teeth.

"_Sooo_… Did he?"

"_No!_ He, in fact, _didn't_."

"But—"

"Would you shut up already?!"

Dick let out a heavy sigh before he continued.

"Look, I just have to clean the kitchen, all right? No big deal."

"Oh. Well, that's not too bad."

"You haven't seen the kitchen yet," muttered Dick under his breath. His tone rose as he said, "Sorry, not sure if I'll be at the Tower today."

"Aw, tough luck."

"Yeah, pretty much. Oh, hey… uh, BB?"

"Mm?"

"N–no one else is in the room with you… right?"

"Huh? Uh… no. Oh, wait. Well, Star's in the room. Why?"

Dick nearly died right then and there. His already flushed face seemed to be on fire now. He closed his eyes and tried to will it away, but it didn't listen to him. With a trembling hand, he lifted the phone closer to his mouth.

"BB. _Your days are numbered!_"

With that ear splitting shout, Dick shut off the call; shoving the phone back into his pocket. He slapped his hands to his heated cheeks and groaned deeply. How could Beast Boy be _so_ clueless! How could he just say those things so easily in front of a girl and in front _Starfire_ no less!? _How embarrassing!_ Just how the heck was Dick supposed to look Starfire in the face after that? It was hard enough already without more difficulties.

How utterly embarrassing.

That was the newest thing going inside Dick. He was becoming more and more aware of the fact that he liked Starfire. Not just as a friend nor as a best friend, but as in he _really_ liked her. It was getting so bad that he could barely look her in the eyes without blushing hard. His stomach would get all strange on him and flutter oddly whenever she was in the room or whenever she spoke. He just wasn't sure what to do about it any more. Talking to her about it seemed worse than fighting with Plasmus, the radioactive sludge monster. And he sure as heck didn't want to talk to Slade about it.

That would be completely awkward, if ever.

Besides, Dick didn't think the man could handle it. While Slade was many things, Dick highly doubted he was exactly the world's leading expert on matters of the heart. It wasn't like his last relationship ended all that… beautifully. Especially since said woman actually shot out his eye. Such knowledge wasn't exactly heartening to Dick.

Maybe the old man could provide a few pointers… But then again, the old man wasn't exactly married. In fact, now that Dick thought about it, he didn't really know much about Wintergreen. He knew more about Slade than the old man. Maybe Wintergreen _could_ offer some advice on matters of the heart.

Although… the more Dick thought about it, the more he didn't want to talk to _anyone_ about what he was feeling over Starfire. It was just too embarrassing.

With a soft sigh, Dick flopped back onto the hard floor of the kitchen to stare up at the ceiling. He groaned internally at the sight of the mess there. He still had a long way to go in this kitchen. He closed his eyes; thinking deeply.

Well, he would just have to take one day at a time. Hopefully he wouldn't make an idiot of himself in front of Starfire – not that she seemed to care or notice those types of things. He was a bit lucky on that matter.

A light beeping sound lifting into the air. Dick sat up and noticed the red light flashing on his utility belt beneath his shirt. He quickly stood and ran down the hallway to his room; shedding his shirt and pants as fast as possible. Beneath his clothes, his Kevlar suit was always ready. Usually while at the Tower, he just wore the suit, but back here at home, he wore it beneath normal clothing. He grabbed his domino mask from his desk next to his bed and darted out of the room. He burst inside Slade's bedroom, breathing hard for a moment.

"Dad," said Dick, "I gotta go. Trouble."

Slade was sitting at his computer. On the screen were a number of formulas dealing with what Dick knew was the healing serum. Slade turned around and stood up; folding his arms.

"How's the kitchen looking?" said Slade with a look that completely appeared as if he knew the answer. Dick grimaced slightly and bit his lower lip.

"I promise to finish cleaning the kitchen; I swear. I have to go, though. Please?"

Slade gave him a hard look before he let out a tired chuckle; shaking his head.

"All right, but you better come back afterward."

"Of course, Dad," said Dick with a bright smile and a laugh. He turned to leave, but hesitated for a moment. Then, fast as a bullet, he darted back to Slade and threw himself into hug. He felt the man startle slightly, taking a step back from Dick's impact. But then, he felt those strong arms wrap around him in a warm embrace. After a few moments, there was a gentle swat to Dick's lower back.

"You better get going, imp," said Slade with a chuckle in his throat. Dick pulled back and smiled. He gave Slade a wave of the hand before darting out the door.

"See you later!"

"Mmm… Be careful."

ooOOOOOoo

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**Next Time:** Chapter Two: Earth and Stinger – As the Titans prepare for trouble, they are thrown into an intense battle and through it all, they meet a new face.

**Author's Notes:** And so it begins… I really do plan to do my best to update on schedule. Currently, however, _Warped Identity_ will be on hold a little while. I'm sorry, I just can't seem to do both at this moment. Glad to finally be posting the sequel, though. Hope everyone will enjoy the next ride with me. :3

Oh... And I probably should just warn you right now in advance.

I've gotten better at cliffhangers. Just saying. XD

Thanks for reading! Next update will be on Friday! See ya next time! Reviews = love and ideas! ^.^


	2. Earth and Stinger

**Author's Note:** Hey, everyone! Thank you so much for the lovely support! I'm so glad everyone is enjoying the start of the sequel so much. I actually penned part of the kitchen moment between Dick and Slade while writing _Forgotten Bonds_. :3 I have four pages in a small notebook to prove it! Glad I can finally release it.

Well, right off the bat, we've got an action packed chapter ahead for you all. _Forgotten Bonds_ was a solely relationship plot, which is unusual – from what I've seen – in an apprentice fic. This'll be different, depending quite heavily on an action plot. However, I do hope to still bring about character growth and relationships during it. :3 Not to mention, it will take time to build to that point.

Bytheway, love the speculations. They're always fun and sometimes, they do give me ideas I never actually thought about. :)

On with the story!

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**Chapter Two**

**Earth and Stinger**

**April 27th, 2009. Monday, 2:47 pm.**

The sun shone brightly that afternoon, a gentle, salty breeze flowing through the air. Car hocked, people talked, people laughed; the bustle of the city never ending. Most, if not all, were unaware of the teen – the one which they hailed as a here – that was running across the rooftops.

"Cyborg, where's the trouble?" asked Dick, just before he leapt off a roof. Swiftly, he shot a grappling hook to the other side and smoothly sailed through the air to the other rooftop. He landed in a crouch and waited for Cyborg's reply, which came quickly.

"South side of the city – mountain range," said Cyborg through the communicator. "We got an alert that a colony of scorpions went on a rampage. Something about a disruption of their nests."

As Dick turned to go in the direction of mountain range of the city, he frowned slightly.

"Why would there be trouble over scorpions, Cy?"

"Apparently, they're big. _Really big_."

"Wonderful," drawled Dick, unaware just how much he sounded like his adopted father at that moment. "All right, see you guys there."

Dick cut the communication and pocketed the communicator. Without ever slowly down, Dick leapt from rooftop to rooftop with his grappling hook. It took him a few minutes to reach the appointed area, but he didn't mind too much. The feeling of flight was truly wonderful and he was thrilled to be out of the haunt – _yeah_, he still called it the 'haunt'; still a home, though – and out of that horrendous kitchen.

Life felt pretty good at the moment. He didn't have to worry about his sleeping issues, he didn't have to clean an impossibly messy kitchen, and he could just bask in the free feeling he was experiencing as he swung from rooftop to rooftop.

Being a Teen Titan definitely had its high points.

"Hey, team!" said Dick with an excited wave. He landed on the upper side of a rock face and smiled as he saw all four of his friends waiting for him. He was greeted with the usual expressions.

"Robin! It is glorious to see you today!" cried Starfire. Instantly, Dick was collided with a pair of strong arms that tightened around him; his senses were overcome with the scent of her hair as it fluttered in his face. For a moment, Dick wondered whether or not he was going red because of physical contact with Starfire or because he couldn't breathe.

Both seemed like probable suggestions.

"H–hey, Star. Nice to see you, too," said Dick; his voice slightly choked from her tight hug. Starfire pulled back and smiled blindingly at him. Dick was momentarily dazzled. _Well, this was troublesome_. It took him a moment remember exactly where he was.

"Yeah, man, I totally thought you were on house arrest today!" piped up Beast Boy, folding his arms; but appearing happy that Dick was there.

Subtle alarm rose inside Dick's chest. He hoped to all the heavens above that Beast Boy would keep his obnoxious mouth shut about the conversation they had earlier. With jerky movements, he managed to turn his gaze over to Cyborg – hoping to steer the conversation a thousand light years away from any potential embarrassing subjects – who was giving him a strangely smug look.

"I'm the leader of the Teen Titans," said Dick, trying extremely hard not to stutter. "Gotta go when there's trouble. Uh, so, just where _is_ the trouble?"

It took a minute for that smug look to slide off Cyborg's face, his human eye flicking back and forth between Dick and Starfire. Dick wanted to groan, but he held it in. He couldn't help about being obvious. He froze nearly _every_ time now around Starfire. It was getting downright annoying.

"Not sure," said Cyborg with a light shrug. "All I know is that someone complained about a disturbance in the mountains. They mentioned a colony of scorpions, but not much else was said."

"Do you know who gave you the tip? Male or female?"

There was a shake of the head.

"Female, but that's it."

Dick frowned. He turned his gaze out towards the canyon. He took a few steps forward to the edge of the cliff. The canyon was wide, but the distance could still be grappled across. Broken stone littered the sides of the rock face, dust flying upward as the wind blew through the canyon.

Another breeze fluttered through Dick's hair, stands of his black bangs flying against his cheek – he hadn't bothered to spike it back today, due to his kitchen cleaning. There'd been no time to gel back his hair, but he didn't mind so much any more.

His eyes continued to take in the canyon as Starfire lifted into the air floated next to him.

"What are you thinking, Dick?" asked Starfire in a low whisper. Dick smiled lightly. She was doing it more – calling him by his real name. He had to admit: he rather liked it. He liked hearing his name from her lips. He glanced over at her, happy that he wasn't completely freezing up at that moment – definitely a rarity that he needed to work on having become more common.

"Not sure. Something strange is—"

His words were drowned out by a tremendous roar in the canyon. Dick had to grab onto Starfire's wrist to steady himself as the ground shook furiously. Rocks broke beneath his feet and he stumbled backwards to avoid falling, landing right on his seat. He winced, gritting his teeth.

"Robin!"

"I'm fine, Star," said Dick, just as Starfire began hovering over him. He quickly leapt to his feet, brushing the dust off his Kevlar pants.

"What the heck was that?" asked Cyborg, trying to get as close to the edge of the cliff as he could without falling. His eyes scanned the depths of the canyon, but there was nothing in sight.

"It sounded like it was big," commented Raven, her dry tone flat.

Then, there was another fierce roar, the ground trembling again. The entire team tensed, preparing for a fight that was sure to follow. Then, an enormous boulder in canyon exploded forth. Something small ran through the falling stone and broken rock, blonde hair flying out, while the largest scorpion Dick had ever seen was chasing close behind.

He had never liked scorpions. He just wasn't a poisonous bug person. Those pincers, that long stinger, those creepy beady eyes – he never could understood what was the appeal of Silky to Starfire – none of that appealed to him as a child, nor as a teen. He had always preferred martial arts or some type of physical activity as a pastime, even before becoming the ward of Bruce Wayne, Batman.

It wasn't that they weren't cool or interesting, he just preferred them _dead_.

Unfortunately, there was a giant, _live_ scorpion – which was _definitely_ at least three times larger than a school bus – and it was thrashing down the canyon in a hot chase. Before Dick could shout out the usual call to fight, the scorpion had cornered its prey. Dick looked down into the canyon to see – _to his horror_ – that it was a girl. She was boxed in, with no way to escape.

In the moment just as the monster was about to strike and the Titans about to jump to the rescue, the earth trembled once again. Dick was about done with all these earthquake like movement below his feet. True, it was California, but he definitely preferred the ground to stay _still_, please.

Yes, indeed.

The girl below was lifting her hands, a yellow light appearing around them; her eyes glowing yellow as well. An overhanging boulder lifted into the air as the earth continued to tremble. Then, with a shout, the girl threw her arms downward; the boulder crashing on top of the enormous scorpion. There was a terrifying screech from the monster as it was completely crushed by the boulder.

"Looks like we don't even need to help," said Cyborg. "It's like she was leading it into a trap."

Dick frowned slightly; remaining quiet for a moment as he observed the event below. The girl had been leading the monster into a trap, it would definitely seem that much. There was a slight smug look on her face – that much Dick could see.

But how did she know?

How did she know about the dead end or the fact that the Titans would be there right at that moment, perfect to display her skills? That's certainly what it appeared to be – especially since they had received an anonymous tip, from a female no less. Was it all coincidence or preplanned? Dick had been taught by two men – first Batman, then Slade – to observe every possibility in a situation. Not only that, he was also more perceptive than the average teen male.

Something in this situation just didn't seem right to him.

The earth groaned at Dick's feet yet again, causing him to glance down. The edge of the cliff was beginning to crumble where the girl had cut the rock face off with her powers. Before he could think even more on the matter, the earth down in the canyon shook slightly. There was a loud, furious roar. The enormous boulder that was on top of the monster shivered and shattered into small rocks, which slowly crumbled into dust – the scorpion completely broke free.

The girl screamed.

Dick quickly pulled out his grappling hook.

"_Titans, go!_" shouted Dick, sending his grappling hook across the canyon.

The group ran into action as Dick leapt off the edge of the rock face, swinging down towards the girl. The large scorpion screeched terribly; its dark eyes flashing red. Its stinger poised above her before it came rushing down at a frightening and powerful speed. There was another scream. Dick swung by; grabbing the girl around the waist just as the stinger blasted into the ground where the girl had been.

Apparently, he was fast enough. Dick gave out a low cry of pain as part of the stinger scraped his right arm. Rocks exploded, blasting him off course. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he threw out another grappling hook to redirect his path to the other side of canyon with the girl in his arms. Once his feet touched ground, he dropped to all fours; breathing heavily as the pain washed through his arm viciously. He flexed the hand on his injured arm, forcing it work properly through fierce will power.

There was a gasp from the girl.

"Oh, no, you're hurt!"

"I'm fine," said Dick; his tone curt. He hissed slightly as he saw the wound. There was a trail of blood sliding down his forearm from the deep gash that adorned the area to the side of his elbow. Quickly, he dug into his utility belt and pulled out a long cotton bandage strip. He deftly wrapped his elbow and forearm with it to stop the blood flow.

"Hey, I'm Robin. And you're?"

"Terra—"

"Nice to meet you, Terra," said Dick; quickly overriding her. He stood up from his crouch and turned towards the fight. He lifted his arm in a wave. "I gotta join the fight. You stay here."

"But—"

"Stay safe."

Dick took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then, with a fierce cry, he leapt into the fray. The creature was thrashing into the walls of the canyon, trying its everything to attack the other four Titans. Rubble and stone shattered against the canyon ground as the monster throttled the rocky sides. Starfire was throwing an many green starbolts as she could at the monster. Raven was lifting earth with her black magic and striking the creature's back.

However, it seemed as if the monster's thick armor was making it impervious to damage.

Dick landed onto the trembling ground as the scorpion continued to thrash and fight. Beast Boy quickly transformed into a Tyrannosaurus Rex and engaged the creature; snapping and biting his enormous jaw at the scorpion's thick armor. Cyborg opened his arm into his sonic cannon and sent out a blast. The scorpion screamed in fury; its stinger lashing down at Cyborg – who ducked quickly and rolled away. The ground burst from the impact of the stinger; shattered rocks spraying in all directions.

"We can't stop this thing," cried Cyborg as Dick came to his side, crouching beside him. "Star's bolts aren't doing anything and neither are Raven's attacks. BB can't get a bite into either and my cannon isn't penetrating its armor."

"We can try," said Dick. He stopped for a moment, watching the raging battle. The pincers of the scorpion lifted into the air and snapped at the girls that flew in the air. Its stinger lashed in the air as well, trying to take down anything it could.

"Yo, Rob, you're bleeding," said Cyborg, bringing Dick's attention to him. Then, Dick glanced at his arm, which was bleeding through the bandage; the crimson color staining the pure white cloth.

"I'm fine," repeated Dick, for what seemed like the thousandth time that day; putting a hand over the bleeding bandage. "We need take out the stinger first. Stop trying to break through its armor."

"I can help."

Dick startled slightly and turned to see Terra crouching beside him. Her light blonde hair folded down over her eye briefly before she tucked it behind an ear. He glanced past the girl to watch the ongoing battle between the monster and a Tyrannosaurus Rex Beast Boy. Starfire and Raven were supporting the green dinosaur with their own attacks. Then, he looked back at the girl.

"I thought I told you—"

"Hey, I can _help!_"

Dick narrowed his eyes beneath his mask, carefully gauging the girl in front of him. She was determined to lend a hand it seemed and to be honest, any assistance would be most helpful.

"What can you do?" asked Dick.

"I can manipulate the earth," responded Terra. "If you want rocks moved, I'm your girl."

Dick's mind quickly formulated a plan. His eyes were quickly taking in each of his team members, along with this additional help that could be used. As his mind finally reached a decision, he turned his gaze towards Cyborg.

"All right, Terra, get a us a big rock. A _really big_ rock. BB, Star, and I will continue to occupy its attention. I need Raven to cut the rock with her powers to a point – unless you can do that," said Dick, stopping in the middle to look over at the girl. For a moment, she hesitated, before she slowly began to shake her head. There was a sharp nod from Dick before he continued, "Right, then; Cy, your job will be to take out the stinger. Thrust the rock towards the base when I give the signal."

"All right, then, leader!" said Cyborg with a grin, snapping to action. He stood up and called Raven down, before informing her of the plan. As he did that, Dick turned to Terra.

"Work with Raven to prepare a sharp rock. Listen to what she says."

Without waiting for a reply, Dick bolted forward to his feet and into the fray. Beast Boy was continuing to engage the raging monster in his Tyrannosaurus Rex form. Starfire was constantly throwing starbolts at the thrashing creatures; flying through the air to avoid one of its large pincers that kept trying to attack her. All the while, Beast Boy was trying to attack it head on; biting the other pincer with his ferocious teeth.

Dick raced on the ground past the falling rocks and debris that filled the air as the monster crashed into the walls of the canyon. Its unearthly voice screeched loudly, piercing Dick's ears. But he continued to run without stopping; dodging the rocks and clacking legs of the scorpion. He whipped out a few ammunition discs from his belt and began throwing them one by one at the feet of the monster.

An instant later, they all exploded; causing the monster to lose its footing and crash into the left side of the canyon. Dick slide out from beneath the head of the scorpion just in time. He rolled out of the way as Beast Boy's giant foot came down near him in the battle; smashing into the earth with a large _crunch_. Dick hurried to his feet and ran beneath the giant Tyrannosaurus Rex. Once he reached the tail, he leapt upward, running along Beast Boy's back. As the large dinosaur reared back in a tremendous roar, snapping his teeth, Dick leapt off, flying down on top of the scorpion's head.

Dick pulled out his grappling hook and shot it toward the stinger – about three fourths of the way up. He kept running; waiting for that moment when the hook would catch and require his strength. Just as he reached the very end of the scorpion, the very moment he jumped off the back of the creature, his grappling hook wrapped around the stinger. With a shout of strength, Dick tugged on the grappling rope with all his power; his muscles flexing with the exertion.

His feet crashed on the rocky ground, dust flaring up as he landed. He wrenched the line with shout, fighting against the power of this tremendous monster. His feet dragged against the dust as he struggled against the scorpion. The power that was inside this small section of the scorpion was indomitable; strength with such an intensity beyond anything Dick had ever experienced. Still, he endured against it and threw everything he had in taming the lashing tail.

He threw his head to the side, searching for Cyborg in the upper areas of the canyon. When he saw the older teen, ready with a large, sharpened boulder on his shoulders, Dick screamed his command.

"_Now, Cyborg!_"

Dick's strength was waning against this impossible creature, but he focused all his energy on holding down the stinger. He truly couldn't believe the power it had just within its tail. Starfire was flying above the scorpion, tossing her starbolts down on the armored back – they glanced off, however. The tip of the tail lashed out dangerously beside Dick, but he held onto the grappling line as Cyborg leapt into the air. The older teen thrust the rock beneath him, straight down at the base of the scorpion's tail.

It connected.

A second later, Dick felt all the power die in the tail, causing him to fall backwards onto the ground; landing hard onto his back. There was bloodcurdling screech from the scorpion, along with a burning, hissing sound near the base of the tail. Dick had to roll out of the way as the tail thrashed with a life of its own. A part of the skin scraped his arm, causing a light burn. He rolled to a crouch, dust clinging to his sweaty skin. He hissed slightly as new pain latched onto his upper arm. His other injured arm was stinging viciously as the dust and grime sneaked inside the simplistic bandage.

Then, Dick's eyes widened in horror.

At the base of the scorpion, bursts of molten lava were spewing forth. Cyborg had rushed out of the way after his attack to avoid getting burned; however, a burst flew into the air before Starfire could be warned.

The scream that echoed thought the canyon chilled Dick's very heart.

"_Starfire!_" cried Dick, bolting to his feet. He ran forward, dodging the now enraged and injured scorpion. A purple, orange figure was falling out of the sky, light steam trailing behind her. Dick pushed his body to its limits as he rushed to catch her. A second later, Starfire's dead weight landed in his outstretched arms; causing the pair of them to crash and roll into the ground. Through it all, Dick held Starfire close to his chest.

There was a lull moment – even when the battle raged around the two of them – as Dick breathed deep, heavy gasps for air, his chest choked with a sharp stitch. There were rattling hisses of pain from Starfire. He drew her closer as he dragged their bodies to the wall of the canyon, away from the smashing feet of the scorpion.

"Star, are you all right?" asked Dick, pulling her up so she could rest against his chest. "Where'd you get hurt?"

"M–my leg," whispered Starfire, continuing to take gasps of pain. Dick's eyes immediately flittered to her legs, causing him to suck in his breath in shock. On her left thigh was a terrible burn, about the size of Dick's hand. Even part of her skirt was burned along the edge of the area. The burned flesh was blistering, the color darkened from her usual bright orange tan. It was certainly a second degree burn, verging on third degree. But there was no time to heal her.

His arms unconsciously tightened around her for a moment. Then, he snapped into action and pulled out another long cotton bandage strip from his utility belt. Carefully, he leaned her against the wall of the canyon and knelt down in front. Ever so gently, he began to wrap her burn, avoiding pulling on it too tight so that the blisters wouldn't break. Ever now and then as he did so, Starfire would suck in her breath as a wave of pain assaulted her; causing him to go even more slowly and carefully.

When he was done, he scooped her up in his arms.

"Ro–Robin? I can—"

"No, you can't," said Dick, his voice strong. As the battle continued to go on tirelessly, Dick leapt away from the fray to find a good place to set Starfire down to rest.

"But Robin—"

"It's okay, Star. I've got you."

If Dick had been looking down and not watching for falling debris, he would've seen the gentle blush that graced Starfire's cheeks. But he missed it. Instead, he tightened his arms that were holding her beneath the back and legs. A moment later, he found a safe upper area and gently set her there. Starfire was giving him an unusual look and he couldn't help but feel unsettled by it.

"What?" asked Dick, raising an eyebrow at her.

"You are… stronger."

Dick let out a chuckle.

"I better be, after all the training Dad's put me through."

Those monochromatic eyes dipped in a kind smile. Starfire put a hand to her mouth, her eyes squeezing shut as she began to giggle. As Dick watched her with another raised eyebrow, an impression came upon him, making his cheeks burn.

Even with the dust sticking her glistening skin, even with the dust marring her clothes, even with her hair slightly tangled and messy, Dick couldn't help but notice one very important fact – Starfire was still beautiful.

Of course, this wasn't the time to be thinking about that. Still, his brain went there, distracting him from the battle that he was sorely required in. All he could do was take a moment to watch her giggle and laugh, her dirty face crinkling with laugh lines.

"Yes, I am sure that Slade has taught you much."

For some reason, Dick blushed. Something about the way she said that statement caused the heat to intensify in his cheeks. He forced his head to the side, drawing in a deep breath, before looking back at her.

"Are you gonna be all right?"

Starfire nodded. "I am perfectly fine. You have tended to my wound most expertly. I can still fly. There was no need to carry me."

"But don't," said Dick, his tone firm. "Stay out of the fight. We'll finish it."

He turned away, but he stopped, glancing back at her for a moment. She gave him an encouraging smile and he turned back to the battle. He took a deep breath, Starfire's smile imprinted in his mind. A gentle warmth flowed through the pit of his stomach. With a mischievous laugh escaping his lips, he leapt down; pulling out a grappling hook midflight and connected it with the other side of the canyon.

Raven and Terra were currently trying to fight against the monster, while Cyborg was helping Beast Boy his feet, who had transformed back into a human and appeared thoroughly exhausted at that moment. His green eyes looked at Dick, concern filling there.

"Is Star okay?"

"She'll be fine, she just got burned," answered Dick.

"Why the heck is there _lava_ coming outta this thing's butt?" demanded Cyborg.

"That's a very good question," said Dick, snorting once. Then, his expression turned serious. "We have to kill it, though. It'll destroy the city otherwise. Beast Boy, you think you can keep it occupied with me while Cy and the girls get ready again?"

Beast Boy gave a weak nod.

"Yeah, definitely."

"Excellent." Dick turned to Cyborg. "Same as before, but this time aim for the scorpion's brain – right in between the eyes. We'll give you a clear shot now that the stinger is out. Then, we'll bury it."

Cyborg only nodded and the three of them broke away to do their jobs. Cyborg communicated with Raven and Terra, while Dick and Beast Boy leapt into the fray. The canyon shook as a giant green Tyrannosaurus Rex landed on top of the scorpion with a colossal roar that seemed to rattle Dick's brain in its cavern. A moment later, the dinosaur had leapt off the back of the scorpion, swinging his tail into the face of his enemy. A large pincer struck back.

Dick wasn't far behind Beast Boy. As he leapt down into the canyon, he threw three ammunition discs at its another pincer, ice instantly forming along the claw as they hit their target. Steam hissed from the arm, a moment later the scorpion smashed its claw into the canyon wall; ice shattering into pieces. As Dick landed nearby, he didn't have time to dodge the pincer that caught him in the chest.

He was thrown backward, smashing into the rock behind him. Pain burst across his entire back, a choke bursting from his mouth. It took him a moment to clear his head with the sparkling lights that began to pop in his sight. He struggled to get to his feet, groaning slightly from the pain. Good grief, this was getting annoying.

Beast Boy was struggling against the monster as well, being smashed into another area of the canyon wall; broken rocks falling to the ground from the blow. His transformation broke and the young boy was lying face down in the dirt; struggling to get back up again. Dick looked up towards the sky, hoping to see if Cyborg, Raven, and Terra were ready.

This battle needed to end, _now_

Then, Dick saw that Cyborg was ready. He whipped out another grappling hook and shot it towards the closest pincer. It connected, wrapping around the pincer. A second later, Dick felt the familiar strength and power of this creature. He fought against it with all his remaining strength, sweat trickling down his temples. There was a lull in power struggle and Dick used that time to shout.

"_Now!_"

With a thunderous roar, Cyborg threw the sharpened rock down, nailing the scorpion monster right in between the eyes. The beast screeched and writhed with a terrible unearthly voice.

"Bury it with the rocks!" cried Dick.

Side by side, Terra and Raven lifted their arms in the air, each of their hands glowing their respective colors of power. Boulders of all sizes piled on top of its head and pincers. Beast Boy pulled back, transforming once more, and barreled into the side of the canyon, causing rocks to fall down. Cyborg did the same with his sonic cannon at the other side. Soon, the dying scorpion was covered with rubble and stone, only part of his body visible.

Its dying sounds echoed through the canyon, before a stillness fell over the canyon. A gentle breeze fluttered by, giving Dick a comfortable respite from the sweat in his face. A tickle slid down his temple and he lifted a hand to wipe it away. He let out a soft huff of relief. He looked up at the edges of the canyon. Cyborg, Terra, and Raven were gathering themselves together. Beast Boy had transformed into a hawk and had flown to Starfire's side.

A few moments later, the four team members and Terra had congregated around Starfire. Dick looked over each of his teammates. Raven didn't look injured, though there was plenty of dust and dirt on her clothing. Cyborg was in a similar position, as was Terra. Beast Boy had a few tears on his uniform at the shoulders and a few scratches on his face, but overall he was unharmed. He had flopped to the ground and was breathing deeply; appearing thoroughly exhausted. Dick himself had a gash on his right forearm, to the side of his elbow – which was still bleeding through the white bandage – and a light burn mark on his other arm beneath his shoulder. Without a doubt, everyone was covered in copious amounts of dust, which stuck to their sweating skin.

They pretty much looked like a disaster had struck them – which it had, interestingly enough.

"Here," began Raven, kneeling down beside Starfire. She held her hands, a silvery power glowing from them. They hovered over Starfire's injured thigh. It took a few minutes before Raven pulled back. "There, that should help the burn. I don't think it'll scar."

"I thank you, Raven," said Starfire with a smile, placing a hand over the bandage and touching it softly. She gave the other girl another smile. "It no longer pains me."

Dick was at her side in a second as Starfire tried to stand. At first she protested his aid, but Dick silently took her by the underarm and helped her to her feet. She put a little pressure on her leg and smiled again.

"I will be fine. Please, Robin needs healing more than I."

Dick tried to protest this, but Raven completely ignored him. Dick had no choice but be sat down and prodded for healing. Raven put her hands over his bandage, a glowing, silver light surrounding them. Relief began to fill Dick's flesh as he felt a cooling sensation rest over his arm. Then, he could actually feel his skin being knitted back together again. Raven pulled back after a few minutes.

"That's all I can heal right now," said Raven. "The wound can still open if you aren't careful, but the deep gash is healed."

"Thanks, Raven, it's good enough," said Dick with an appreciative smile. He stood back up again, uselessly brushing dust from off his Kevlar pants. Then, he turned his attention to the outsider that had aided them in the fight quite well. He held out a hand to the blonde girl, "Thank you, Terra, for helping us. We couldn't have done it without you."

The girl looked taken aback. Her cheeks flushed as her sky blue eyes darted from side to side. She lifted her arms in the air and waved them nervously.

"No, no, I didn't do much. You're the _Teen Titans_, after all. Of course, you'd have beaten that thing without me."

Dick only smiled knowingly.

"Everyone has their limitations."

He looked over the group again. Everyone looked exhausted. It certainly wasn't one of their more glorious or heroic battles, nor did they appear pleasant. Truly, they looked like a group of rugrats in bright, slightly obnoxious costumes that had played in the dirt. It was an amusing picture for certain. Dick lifted an arm and wiped the perspiration that had built up on his brow. He placed his hands on his hips and gave everyone a wry smile.

"Guys, we're a mess."

The group looked at him, before breaking out into giggles and laughs.

"We should go for pizza," said Cyborg finally, still laughing with the others.

"Would they even serve us?" asked Beast Boy, giggling.

"Doubt it."

Dick snorted at Raven's deadpan voice. Giggling still flowed over the group as he gave a wave to the young blonde girl.

"Well, gang, I haven't formally introduced her, but this is Terra."

The blonde was greeted with an enthusiastic greetings – well, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire were enthusiastic; Raven was just Raven.

"Well, you may know us as the Teen Titans, but you might not know us individually. I'm—"

"Robin, yeah, I know," said Terra, grinning at him. "I know everything about you guys, you totally rock!" She began to point to each in succession. "You're Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy."

Beast Boy looked floored that she actually knew his name. In fact, the only thing he was currently doing was staring at the girl with a light flush glancing across his cheeks. It was quite comical to see the young thirteen year old staring at the blonde as if he'd never seen a girl in his entire life. At least Dick admitted he had crush and while he tried his best not to make it _too_ obvious, he knew he was failing pretty badly at it.

Looks like Beast Boy was joining that party.

"So, what brings you to Jump?" asked Dick.

"I go where the wind takes me," said Terra with a shrug. "It's really great. I get to travel, see new places, and if I stop a few bad guys along the way, all the better."

Beast Boy almost appeared as if he were drooling. "So _cool!_" he cried finally, apparently forgetting that one fact – he basically was doing the same thing. Terra seemed pleased by his response, giving him a blushing smile. Dick shook his head, but then a thought entered his mind.

If Terra was traveling around the country, then that would only mean one thing.

"So… You don't have a home?" asked Dick, his voice quiet as he looked at the girl. Terra shrugged with a smile, lifting her arms into the air.

"The earth is my home. My name is _Terra_, after all. And besides, there's this great cave that I've been camping out in. It was completely calling my name."

There was a horrific gasp.

"This is unacceptable!" cried Starfire, looking aghast at the very thought that this girl had to sleep in a cave. "You must stay with us! I cannot bear the thought of our new friend sleeping in a gloomy, dark cave."

Terra blinked.

"I have a flashlight—wait, friend?"

"Yeah, come on, Terra, you gotta stay with us!" cried Beast Boy, tugging on her arm. Cyborg joined in the group and began to push her forward. "What if another scorpion comes along? It's not safe out here! You don't wanna be in a creepy cave all by yourself."

"Yeah, man, there's plenty of room at the Tower," said Cyborg.

"I think it's safe to say we're not gonna take 'no' for an answer," said Dick, folding his arms and giving the girl a smirk rivaling his father's. Terra looked from Starfire, to Beast Boy, to finally Dick, before she let out a resigned sigh.

"All right, all right, I suppose I could stay for _one_ night."

"Or for one thousand nights!" cried Starfire, happily lifting in the air and clapping her hands together.

"Well, I'm not sure I can stay _that_ long…"

The other three members of the Teen Titans chattered happily as they guided their new friend towards the Tower. Dick stayed behind, watching them go. Raven held back as well, glancing over at him.

"Are you not coming?" asked Raven.

"In a minute, there's something I want to check out first," said Dick, pulling out his grappling hook. He shot it across the canyon and swung down into its depths; stopping next to the defeated scorpion that now lay dead. He landed near the only area that wasn't covered in rubble. Raven levitated down after him.

"Something wrong?" asked Raven, walking up to his side. Dick frowned and knelt down at the body of the scorpion.

"I'm… I'm not really sure," said Dick, hesitantly touching the hard skin of the beast. It felt frightfully hot and he had to retract his hand in a snap. His fingers rubbed his burning palm, trying to alleviate some the pain. After a moment of studying the creature, Dick pulled back and grabbed his bō-staff from his utility belt. The instant it expanded, Dick thrust the end of the staff into a cracked section of the scorpion's body; pushing with all his might.

There was a cracking sound, followed by the sound of hissing steam. A moment later, the crack widened; causing Dick to leap backwards to avoid what oozed out of its center. The molten material slowly flowed from the crack, sizzling slightly.

Dick lifted the end of his staff to inspect it. The tip was melted through, the edges of the metal a fiery red.

Molten lava continued to ooze out of the dead scorpion. Dick glanced upward, taking in every visible detail of the creature. Raven took another step forward, doing the same. After a moment of silence between the two – only the sound of sizzling, crackling lava lifting in the air – Raven finally spoke up.

"Well, that's not normal."

Dick let out a pent up sigh, shaking his head once.

"No, it's not."

ooOOOOOoo

* * *

**Next Time:** Chapter Three: Spattering Dissonance – As the Titans invite Terra into their home, Dick starts to see the beginning of potential discord among old friends.

**Author's Notes:** This chapter was the chapter that made me ignore this sequel for months. XD I swear, every time I even thought about writing it, I was like, "No, I'm done." Even after I finished it a week before the first posting, I literally never wanted to see it again. But I had to edit. O…O

Lemme tell ya, writing a battle with a giant scorpion isn't fun. LOL. It's a miracle is came out. Hopefully I made it a little more interesting this time around, even the introduction to Terra is similar. Ugh, but Terra, I no speak your way of talking. I have no idea why, but she's hard for me. Plus, I always felt it lame and hilarious that Terra just smashes the scorpion in the show. "PLOOP, kay, done." XD I hope I made the battle a _little_ more realistic. Real life isn't a Saturday morning cartoon.

Haha, ya'll didn't think I'd let go the same way it did in the show, did ya? Why bother writing fanfiction if only to repeat the same thing, hm? Aheheheh… Besides, she didn't do the smash and twist. Scorpions don't go down that easily. *shudders* My father has had some experience with them. They are _powerful_ little suckers. O.O

Now make them the size of a house…

I'm so glad I don't live in an area with scorpions. I'll take the spiders. *automatically glances around her room*

Okay, we're clear.

Thanks for reading! Next update will be on Friday! See ya next time! Reviews = love and ideas! ^.^


	3. Spattering Dissonance

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews! You all are really awesome! *huggles*

It's funny, one of my friends recently inspired something in the _Forgotten Bonds_ world that reminded me why I began writing about Slade and Dick. I had read so many stories that always had Slade as the villain with no true hope of redemption that I lamented over his character. While _Forgotten Bonds_ is probably 70% from Dick's point of view, the story had always been about Slade… _Always about him_. I think the question will always be: "What can I do to help him grow even further?"

And every time I think about these two, I never want to leave them alone. Aha, it's both a good thing and bad thing, since I wonder if I'll _ever_ finish something original at this point! XD

Now about the Hive Academy… Hm, I wonder…

*snickers*

AHA, all DC comics will be used for kindling. *lights `em up* So, yeah, no… My Terra is nothing like the comic version, thank all the stars above. Neither is my Slade, as you've all probably noticed by now. Aheh. Why DC can't make family friendly stories is beyond me. Seriously, people, IT'S NOT THAT HARD.

Well, I suppose that's what fanfiction is for. Watch out, World, fanfictioners are gonna take you over! *giggles*

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**Spattering Dissonance**

**April 27th, 2009. Monday, 4:52 pm.**

Terra was surrounded by Titans like kindergartners flocked around a kitten upon first sighting.

It was an interesting sight, that was for sure. Especially since kindergartners were probably a little cleaner than the Titans were at that moment. Not even hosing them down would've done much good. But being the light hearted teens that they were, it didn't seem to bother them as they excitedly ushered their new friend into their home.

Terra appeared thoroughly impressed with the Tower as she looked around. Well, it _was_ a pretty impressive piece of work – thanks to Cyborg's ingenuity. He had designed and built the Tower, with Dick's funding, of course. He'd had more than enough from his parents and from trust funds that Bruce had set up in his name.

As Terra was admiring the view excitedly – with Beast Boy admiring _her_ with light flushed cheeks – Dick looked over his still ever dirty friends. With a chuckle on his lips, he clapped his hands together to get their attention.

"All right, everyone, I think we're all desperately in need of baths," said Dick, grinning at the group. "Let's take care of that and then show Terra around the Tower, okay?" A growling stomach echoed through the room. Dick pursed his lips together to avoid smiling more. "And maybe something to eat as well."

A chorus of agreements came at this; thus, the team separated to go to their individual rooms.

"Come with me, Terra, and I'll show you where you can take a bath or whatever you want," said Dick, motioning her to follow. The girl quickened her steps to keep up with him. He led her down a hallway on the main floor and showed her into the bathroom. "There should be enough stuff here for you. Fresh towels are on the shelf. And there's some spare clothing there as well. You look to be around my size and I have some extras there that you're welcome to use." Dick pointed to said shelf. "Take your time," he added with a smile.

The girl smiled back at him and nodded. "Thank you," she said. As he shut the door behind himself, he noticed her smile fading and her hair falling in front of her eye.

Dick frowned as he stood outside the closed bathroom door, folding his arms and listening to the water turn on. After another moment, he began to walk away, slowly taking each step towards his room as his mind ran through the events that had just happened. His mind just wouldn't rest until he figured out what that creature had been. It was obvious that it wasn't a normal scorpion. What normal scorpion had _molten lava_ inside of it?

Actually, what normal scorpion was the size of a _house?_

But even beyond all that, Dick suspected that Terra had been the one to give them the anonymous tip. Female caller, drawing the scorpion into a trap, and perfect timing – there was no doubt in Dick's mind that she was a possibility. Therefore, accepting that bit of information led Dick to his next question. What was her motive in bringing them out there? Had she wanted to show them her skills? From what Dick understood, the girl was homeless. Had she, perhaps, hoped that she could find a home with the Titans, yet couldn't bring herself to outright ask them?

Dick didn't mind such assertiveness. He just wanted the truth. He preferred if people were direct with him, instead of sliding things under the radar. He didn't want to condemn the girl, but he wasn't going to let her think that she had easily wormed her way into the Titans. They weren't born yesterday, after all.

He would have to confront her, but he wasn't sure when. He didn't look forward to that conversation. But it had to be done. He had to get the truth. After that, he needed to figure out why the creature was rampaging. If she merely used the creature as a tool to gain the Titans' trust, that was one thing. But there was something even more here and he wasn't sure what it was.

It wasn't normal for a scorpion – of any size – to have lava inside. Therefore, it made this creature different than its usual nature. Thus, the question remained _why_ was it there? _Why_ did it suddenly show up?

No matter how much he dwelled on it, Dick knew that he wasn't going to find the answers right away. Maybe he could talk to Slade about it. The man would have some interesting insights about it, possibly. It couldn't hurt to talk to him anyway.

But it would have to wait at the moment. Dick had never felt grimier in his entire life and he was looking forward way too much for the hot shower that was calling his name. A few hallways later, Dick was at his door and entering inside. He was assaulted by the gentle mewling voice of Kuroi, the black furred kitten he had tried to smuggle into the haunt a week ago, but had failed to do so – Wintergreen was allergic. Luckily, there hadn't been any conflicts with Silkie, Starfire's mutant larva moth. But Dick still kept the kitten in his quarters, so he didn't want to come home to find a missing Kuroi and a plump Silkie.

"Hey, little girl," said Dick, kneeling down and stroking the kitten's head. She purred loudly and mewled his welcome once more. Dick smiled. "Yeah, I know you're glad to see me. But I gotta take a shower and I know how much you hate water."

The kitten seemed to give him a baleful look at that thought, causing Dick to chuckle and ruffle that head once before standing up.

"Then, you best wait for me, unless you want a bath, too."

Kuroi flicked her tail at him and walked to his bed, leaping onto its covers and curling up there. Her bright blue eyes blinked once at him, as if she were saying that she was content to wait for him right there. Chuckling, Dick left the area of his room to enter his bathroom. He couldn't wait to get the grime off his body.

Once there, he gently removed the bandage that he had made for himself during the battle. Raven had stopped the bleeding, but the gash was still red with scar tissue. It could break easily, causing the wound to reopen and bleed once more. Thus, he was very careful not to aggravate it.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell his father about it. But he really didn't want another scar on his body – especially one so visible. He was pretty sure that Slade would give him a shot of the serum – that same serum that healed his body quickly – but that did mean actually _telling_ Slade about it, which also meant that the man would get that worried, impassive look on his face. It was that look that said he was trying not to appear worried, but was failing at it – _badly_.

Well, he'd decide later. In seconds, he had stripped away his Kevlar suit and mask, and had stepped into the shower. He vigorously worked on scrubbing the dust and grime from his skin – being gentle around the wound, of course. His light burn on his other arm stung slightly, but it wasn't too annoying. The hot water felt delightful against his skin, warming his insides down to his very toes. Once he was done with soap and shampoo, he rested against the wall of the shower, simply enjoying the rain of warmth that flowed over his body.

The long shower was thoroughly refreshing to Dick. When he was done, he grabbed his mask, but he left the suit in the hamper. He didn't feel like putting on his suit again – not to mention, it needed to be cleaned. He had only one of this variety and he rather stick with it. The suit was quite similar to his original one, but this one had a flare of his father. The material was scaled at the chest area, while there was thin, black armor plating along the upper section of his arms, elbows, legs, and knees.

Just enough to remember that he wasn't merely Robin any more, but Dick; that boy who had learned at the feet of a powerful master. Slade had been an excellent teacher – still was, in fact. The schedule that Dick had to follow was still in play and he enjoyed every moment he had with the man. Tomorrow, he was due for a long training session, but Dick had an idea to shake things up a bit.

He doubted his father would love the idea, but with a few blinks of the eyes and Slade wouldn't be able to say 'no', there was no doubt about that. Dick's weapons of persuasion with the man was in the form of two crystal orbs surrounded by black eyelashes. Blink them a few times and the man couldn't seem to say 'no'. Who knew puppy eyes had a way with the man, hm? Although, it was far too dangerous to use such tactics against Slade often. They were to only be used rarely or else his father would catch on – and then, Dick would be in _real_ trouble.

And that was to be avoided at all costs.

Kuroi mewled for attention as Dick slipped into some black sweat pants and a green long sleeved shirt – to hide his wounds. He smiled at her, flopping onto the edge of his bed and letting her curl up in his lap. He stroked her fur for a few minutes, using a free hand to dry his hair with his towel.

"Well, Kuro," said Dick, stroking her head once. The kitten mewled at the sound of her nickname. "It's time for me to go. So, you stay here and be a good little kitten, all right?"

There was a gentle mewl, as if she were consenting to this request.

With one final stroke of the fur, Dick let her off on his bed and stood up, tossing the wet towel onto a chair. The kitten jumped onto the floor, mewling at him. He restored the domino mask to cover his eyes. Normally, upon returning to the Tower, he would discard the use of his mask around his friends. They didn't wear masks and neither did Dick any more. His friends had gotten used to it after a few weeks, although Dick still did get ribbed now and again about his eyes by Beast Boy – but that wasn't so bad.

But today, he would wear the mask. It wasn't that he didn't trust Terra in a bad way, it was that he wasn't exactly sure about her. She knew them all too well, right down to their names. It was the way she had been at the right place, at that exact time. Dick was sure that there wasn't anything insidious about the girl. But still, Slade was very insistent about being careful when trusting others. In some ways, Slade was very similar to Bruce in protection measures.

Not that Dick would ever tell Slade that…

However, he was going to do something risky tomorrow. He knew it. Even though he knew there was something off about Terra, he was going to do it anyway. Slade probably would be furious about it, but this would be an act of trust. There was something about Terra that Dick felt he needed to unravel. If he showed her an act of trust, he had a feeling that she would loosen up with the group.

For this afternoon, he would forgo wearing a standard suit. Wearing civilian clothes in the Tower would be all right around Terra. He just wouldn't show his eyes; thus, his identity. Tomorrow, however, would be different.

Anyway, he wasn't possessive of his identity any more. When he'd been Robin, Dick had remained hidden behind the mask. He had hidden his true self beneath an article of clothing. He'd been afraid to be himself. But now, there was no need to hide behind a mask.

That much Slade had brought out in him and that much he liked. He wasn't afraid any more. He liked being himself and not that boy or hero whom he pretended to be. He was just Dick and that was best.

Sometimes, he forgot that it had been about eight months ago since his life had been put onto the path that would change everything he ever knew. About eight months ago, Slade had taken Dick from the Tower with the intent to make him his apprentice – the apprentice to Deathstroke, a man who was an assassin, a mercenary, a criminal. Who would've thought that just a few months later, Dick would become the man's son instead and that Slade would go into retirement.

With each passing day, those times where he had felt the instability were merely becoming an old dream. As each day moved on, it was almost impossible to remember a time without Slade in his life and being his father. For Dick, it was the most amazing thing ever.

And he embraced every minute of it.

As Dick walked to his door to leave, he stopped; remembering something. He turned back around and walked back to his bed; grabbing his cell phone from beneath his pillow. He better tell his father that he really shouldn't go home tonight. He needed to be at the Tower with the new addition around. Not to mention…

He wanted to hear the man's voice.

With one touch of the button, he started the call to Slade; placing the cell phone to his ear as he waited. A few moments later, the phone clicked.

"Hey, Dad," said Dick with a smile. There was a light chuckle.

"Hello, Dick. So, how did it go? What was the trouble?"

Dick sighed, plopping down onto the edge of his bed. Kuroi mewled once, batting her paw at one of his socked feet. He wiggled it for her.

"A bit more intense than I'd have thought it would be. A giant scorpion was rampaging in the canyon—can you believe it? It was _huge!_ I mean, this thing was the size of a _house!_ We got a little beat up, but nothing too bad. Nothing we can't handle."

"Are you all right?"

Dick could hear the worry in the man's voice, making him smile lightly. "Yeah, I'm fine, Dad. There's no need to worry."

There was a snort.

"You're the Boy Wonder."

Dick's smile grew even more, hearing the message in between the lines.

"You're such a worrywart, Dad."

"You say that _now_ when there's a nice, _safe_ distance between us."

"Hehe!"

"Imp." There was a pause. "So, are you coming home now?"

Dick faltered. "Uh…"

"You said you would."

"Right… Something's come up, though. We met someone during our fight and she needed a home. I was hoping I could stay here tonight. Well, it _is_ my time to stay at the Tower – Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, you know."

There was a light pause.

"When I walked into the kitchen after you left, something wet dropped onto my shoulder." Dick cringed. "I have to admit, it was pretty gross."

"I'll definitely clean—"

"You wouldn't happen to be trying to escape from cleaning your mess, now would you?" asked Slade, his voice drawling heavily.

"No, sir," answered Dick instantly. There was a pause and Dick could imagine the man raising an eyebrow at him and smirking his trademark smile inside his mind. "Well… just a bit, sir."

"I'm truly loving how you're saying 'sir' right now."

Dick chuckled nervously.

"Tomorrow? Can I finish cleaning the kitchen tomorrow?"

Dick waited, feeling even more nervous. He twisted his feet together, Kuroi pouncing on them as he did so. He could feel her undeveloped claws digging into the cloth of his socks. She gnawed on them for a moment. He bent over and scooped her up with his free hand, causing her to mewl in protest at being taken away from her entertainment.

Finally, there was a long sigh.

"Don't bother. Will already cleaned the kitchen hours ago. Said something about going insane if he didn't."

"What?! So fast? But _how?_"

"He's not a teenager."

Dick let out a giggle, smiling as he absentmindedly stroked the kitten's fur as she played in his lap.

"Isn't that the truth? He's not exactly a mischievous youngster."

"I'll let him know you said that."

Dick laughed and flopped back onto the bed, looking up at the ceiling. Kuroi crawled out of his lap and settled herself onto his chest, purring softly. He stroked her fur gently as he turned his head to the side. He listened to the light breathing on the other side of the phone. It was so faint, he could barely hear it, but it was enough to know Slade was there.

"So, you're not coming home tonight?" asked Slade finally, after a few quiet moments.

"Hmmm…" Dick rolled onto his stomach, the kitten mewling in protest that _yet_ _again_ her entertainment had moved. Dick's legs dangled off the bed as he kicked them lightly. The kitten finally decided that she would perch herself on top of his back; digging her short claws in warningly, as if telling him not to move again. "I really should stay around here tonight. With this new girl here, I don't really want to leave the Titans alone."

"Are you worried about this girl?"

Dick's legs lifted into the air as he pushed his chest up a little; folding one his arms beneath himself to lean on. Those little claws dug a more into his shirt.

"Not really. It's just, she's an unknown element, you know. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, okay?"

"Tomorrow, hm? What's tomorrow?"

"You'll see," said Dick, his voice lifting into a sing song tone. His legs swung once more. There was a gentle chuckle on the other end of the phone.

"Up to mischief, imp?"

"Always."

There was an amused snort.

"Very well, you may stay. You'll be due for some extra chores to make up for it, understood? Do the dishes there even if it's not your turn. Eat a good dinner; not that pizza crap the lot of you always get. And get to bed early, too. You need your sleep."

Dick giggled at how mothering Slade was being, but he didn't say anything. The man would certainly not like hearing _that_. But he didn't mind it. It was nice to hear someone concerned about him; nice to hear someone concerned about the little things – _ever so nice_.

"Yes, sir."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, bye, Dad. Thanks for letting me stay."

"Mm, see you tomorrow, son."

Dick smiled as he listened to the phone disconnect. He placed the phone onto the bed in front of him; folding his arms beneath his chin as he looked at it.

It'd been so long since he had a moment like this. To some, such a moment would seem trivial, but to Dick, it was something of value. Just being able to talk to Slade, talk to his father, on a phone like this was amazing. After so many years without a parent in his life, Dick was enjoying the little moments like this. He still felt somewhat clingy at times – yes, he admitted it, but it was okay – and he was glad that he could turn to the man whenever he needed to do so, even when a distance parted them.

He was very lucky indeed.

Dick rolled over, causing the poor kitten to be dislodged from her perch once again. She jumped onto his shoulder and sat there, staring at him with baleful eyes. Dick chuckled and placed a hand onto her head.

"Sorry, girl. Now I really gotta go. The others are probably done by now. I better be there for them, okay?"

There was mewl in response. Dick giggled and picked the kitten up from his shoulder. He sat up, his legs dangling off the edge of the bed. He stroked her fur once more before standing up and placing her onto the bed.

"I'll see you later tonight, Kuroi."

Before the kitten could protest this, Dick slipped out of his room; his door sliding shut automatically. He walked down the hallway, making his way to the main room. He stepped inside as the automatic doors slid open upon his arrival. There was only one person in the main room at that moment. Raven was sitting on the couch, her wet hair dangling beside her face. Dick smiled and took the opportunity to sit next to her. At the sight of her darkened expression, he put his arm around her and drew the girl into a gentle half hug.

"What's up, Raven? You look like there's something wrong," said Dick. The girl had startled slightly by his gentle affection, her body stiffening from his touch. But slowly, she began to loosen up, her body sagging somewhat in his hold. He knew Raven wasn't used to people touching her kindly like this and ever since he had come back to the Tower, he had made an effort in drawing his team members in with simple affection.

It had been something he had craved for so many years. Now he wondered if it was the same for the others, though they never spoke of such things.

"Nothing is wrong," said Raven, her voice flat and devoid of emotion. "Everything's fine."

Dick shook his head sadly, tugging against the girl and whispering into her hair near her ear, "You're a pretty bad liar, Rae. What's up?"

He pulled back as Raven let out a sigh, before she turned her head towards him. There was an intense amount of emotion in her eyes, the like Dick had never seen before. He hadn't ever seen his friend like this before. The worry only rose up inside his chest more. Something was definitely wrong if Raven had so much bottled up inside her chest.

"Robin—"

"Dick."

Raven blinked, the emotion temporarily breaking in her eyes.

"What?"

"Robin isn't the room. But Dick is and he's a good listener."

It was so light; it was so gentle – there was a tug at Raven's lips, her mouth threatening her impassive face with smile. She gained control over it in a minute, but it had been there and Dick was happy to know that his words had some effect on his friend. Raven turned her head away, letting out another long sigh. Dick had been sure that she would've pulled away from him, but she continued to stay in his hug.

In fact…

Dick was starting to feel the beginnings of Raven finally accepting his kindness, her body slowly continuing to relax and lean against his own. Raven let out yet another sigh, before her monotone voice wavered slightly as she spoke.

"I'll be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything _has_ to be fine."

Dick noticed a shiver went through the girl. He tugged her against his side a little more, hoping to offer whatever comfort he could to the girl he considered a sister. Even though she was older than him by a nine months or so, he actually considered her to be a younger sister. She was wiser than him on many occasion, but his feelings were protective.

Raven held a lot secrets, just like Dick had before. He hoped that someday he could lower the barriers that his friends held. As each barrier was lowered, the closer they would become. The closer that they became, the more they passed from being just a team of heroes or a group of friends.

They would become a family.

Raven didn't look back at him, but she stayed nestled against his side. Dick remained quiet as well. It was better not to push her. Out of all them, she was the least tolerant in being pushed and he rather be comforting right now than annoying. Thus, he just looked outside, enjoying the quiet and the view of the city. They sat there, side by side, for a few minutes. Raven never shrugged off his arm, Dick noticed and for that, he was thankful.

Then, the door to the main room slid opened. Raven immediately stood up, removing herself from Dick's side. He watched as she stepped closer to the window. He noticed, before her cape hid most of her body from view, that her arms curled around her chest slightly as if she were trying to find some kind of comfort.

Dick sighed, wishing that he could've done more for her, but when she pushed others away, it was difficult. He would have to keep trying. He turned around to see Starfire entering the room. She smiled as she caught sight of him, lifting into the air and flying over the couch to sit near him.

"Hey, Star," said Dick, smiling at her and trying to ignore the butterflies that started acting up inside his stomach. "How's your leg?"

"Much better, thank you," said Starfire with a glowing smile.

A moment later, Beast Boy entered the main room; talking animatedly to their newest friend. Cyborg was right behind them, a heavy amused expression across his face. Without either of the smaller teens realizing it, he pointed down at Beast Boy's head and mouthed, _'He's got it bad.'_ to Dick, causing a light chuckle.

Wasn't that the truth? Beast Boy was following the girl like a smitten puppy. Dick had never seen his young friend crush so hard before.

_Ah, to be thirteen again…_

Even though that was exceptionally ironic, since his stomach was still currently not listening to him. Those butterflies were _still_ fluttering up a storm down there. Starfire's smile truly did wonders over him.

"Is everyone hungry?" asked Dick, standing up from his seat on the couch. He walked over to the kitchen area of the main room. "How about some dinner?" He stopped briefly, an amused expression flooding through his features. "I can cook anything, but just don't ask me to bake anything. That's how I killed the kitchen back home today."

Terra looked back at him, surprise entering her face.

"Home? Isn't this your home?"

Dick chuckled.

"It is, but I also have… family here in the city. The Tower is now a home away from home, you could say."

Dick's eyes had glanced between his friends as he said family. Cyborg didn't say anything on the matter, but he did look away, an uncomfortable expression dragging his face. Beast Boy's eyes flittered between Dick and Cyborg, appearing torn again. Raven continued to look her usual impassive self, while Starfire merely smiled at this. Terra seemed to notice the tension that lifted into the air at this statement, her head turning as she glanced around the room.

"What?"

"It's nothing, Terra," said Raven, turning her head away back towards the view of the city.

Dick wanted to sigh. As much as his friends had accepted the fact that Slade was his father and family now, they still didn't exactly like it. Cyborg always pursed his lips whenever Dick mentioned the man. Beast Boy always looked torn between pleasing the teen of his childhood hero and the teen he viewed as an older brother. Raven never fully said her opinion, but she, too, sometimes looked disconcerted. However, she seemed to tolerate the man. Starfire was the only one that had fully accepted and welcomed Slade with open arms.

But that was just the kind of girl she was.

It was amazing how much Starfire had changed, yet hadn't changed. In the seven months that Dick had been absent from her life, he could notice the strength she had developed during that time. Her growth was the most noticeable out of the four teens that had been left behind. He was proud of his team and of how they handled such a difficult time. But now that everything was back to normal, some of them were forgetting the past and just how everything turned out was truly a gift.

It could've turned out much worse, after all.

How would've everything played out if Slade hadn't changed? What if Slade had refused Wintergreen's advice or what if the old man just didn't bother to intervene? What if Slade had continued to be the man he had once been?

In a way, Dick could only think in a poetic sense. What would've happened to Dick's 'story' if he had truly become Deathstroke's apprentice? How many lives would've he taken on a contract? How many paths would've changed if this had happened?

Such questions only brought one answer.

If any of those had occurred along the timeline, then Dick would not have been truly happy.

Somehow, destiny had given the path that gave him true happiness. He wasn't sure how that could've happened, past what his mother had told him, or why. Even after all the hardship and fear that had gripped his heart, he knew he was happy now. There was no reason he shouldn't be. He was content, happy with everything at that very moment. There was no reason to be sad – there was only hope.

Now, if he only could convince his friends that everything was all right, then life would be just perfect, now wouldn't it?

Terra was still frowning at the odd behavior between the teens. It was obvious she could tell something was up, but it also really wasn't her concern. Nor did the teens feel obligated to fill her in on the details. After all, Dick wasn't fully sure about the girl. But when tomorrow came, he wouldn't hold back. He had been thinking about this new training session for a week now – of course, he was only going to spring it on Slade at the last minute.

That way his father didn't have the chance to chicken out in the end.

Dick shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "All right, who's up for some Mexican food?"

A good forty-five minutes later and a one decently messy kitchen – nothing like the one Dick had left home, of course – and the Titans were gathered around the countertop with piled plates of homemade Mexican food. Beast Boy's, of course, was without meat. Lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and Starfire's select choice of mustard were the toppings available. The murmur of voices flooded over the kitchen, some excitable, some heated, but all generally good natured and happy.

There were no leftovers by the end of the meal – Cyborg and Terra being the ones who ate their weight in food, at least; in Terra's case, she ate in _Cyborg's_ weight.

A lull came over the group and they all moved to the couch to be more comfortable. It was certainly apparent that the fight had taken a lot out of them. They just weren't used to such an intense fight like that. The criminals they normally went after were easy – _actually, pretty pathetic_. This wasn't Gotham City, after all. Sometimes the H.I.V.E Academy caused some trouble, but nothing they couldn't handle. The fight today only reminded Dick of how much they still needed to grow in their strength individually and as a team.

His plans for tomorrow would definitely help with that.

"That meal was awesome," said Terra, stretching out her legs and arms elaborately. "I haven't had a good meal like that in a long time."

"Yeah, Robin cooks pretty good sometimes," said Beast Boy, smiling happily at her. Terra giggled once. "So, uhm… Terra, how old are you, if you don't mind me asking?"

There was a light blush entering his cheeks again.

"Oh, well, uh, I'm just turned sixteen awhile back," said Terra, glancing away, her long blonde hair sliding into her face. She curled a hand to her ear, tucking the wayward strands out of her face. Dick got the distinct impression that she didn't want to talk about it. Then, she turned to the couch and tested the cushions for softness. When she seemed satisfied, she gave out a long yawn. "I think I'll just crash on the sofa, if that's all right with you guys. I'm really bushed." She flopped down onto the couch. "You guys are awesome for letting me stay the night. Thanks for lending me some of your clothes, too, Robin."

"It's not a problem," said Dick with a smile. The rest of the group sat on the other end of the couch. They remained soft as they chattered between each other. Minutes passed, until Dick noticed that Terra had fallen into a deep sleep; her mouth hanging open as a gentle snoring trembled her throat.

"She's lying about her age," whispered Raven finally, after waiting a few more minutes and making sure Terra was asleep. The group was huddled together, speaking in hushed tones. "I can tell. She's younger than sixteen. Personally, I'd say more like fourteen. Maybe even thirteen."

"What?" started Beast Boy, his long ears lifting upward in shock. "But why would she lie about something like that?"

"The older you are, the less likely you'll be picked up by a social worker. Not that she really has the height and body build for a sixteen year old, though." said Dick, shaking his head once. "Do you think she ran away from home?"

"It's highly probable," said Cyborg with a nod, folding his arms and glancing over at the sleeping Terra. After a moment, he looked back at Dick. "What do you think we should do? Should we take her to a social worker or the police to see if her family is looking for her?"

"What!?" cried Beast Boy, bolting to his feet. Starfire placed a hand onto his shoulder and put her other hand to her mouth.

"Shh, you will wake her," whispered Starfire. Terra turned onto her side in her sleep, her snoring snorting once. The group held their breath briefly, before Beast Boy continued in a heated whisper.

"But they're planning on—"

"Beast Boy," started Dick, firmly overriding the younger boy as he looked up at him. "We haven't made a decision yet. We are only _discussing_ the possibilities. I, as the leader of this team by your unanimous vote, haven't made the final decision just yet. If you're unhappy with a possibility, then please calmly say so without getting angry."

Beast Boy's ears drooped. After a moment, he nodded finally; sitting back down onto the couch. Dick gave him a soft smile.

"I don't like the idea of taking her to a social worker either, so you don't have to worry, BB. We're not gonna do that. She would probably run away again anyway and I don't think that's good for her. Plus, she's got powers and that makes things more difficult for her to blend in with civilians."

"So, what are you thinking?" asked Raven.

Dick sighed lightly, looking over at Terra. She was curled up on the couch, her side lifting as she slept deeply. He had already decided to let her stay. He thought it would be good for her. Where else could she go? And it wasn't like there was want for room in the Tower. With her powers, she could be targeted by enemies who wished to use them. He could tell from the fight that she wasn't trained in using them.

A powerful enemy could force her submission. She was young enough to be swayed, probably – if Raven was right about her true age. If she stayed with them, then they would have time to help her and maybe in the end, she would open up to them about her family situation.

"I think we should give her a home for as long as she needs," answered Dick in a low voice.

"We can't just trust her," said Raven, her normally impassive expression twitching with rising irritation. "She's lied once. She could lie about anything."

"Hey!" protested Beast Boy. "We should let her stay! There's nothing wrong with her. She's nice!"

Raven's eyebrow twitched, the irritation ever prevalent in her expression now. Dick glanced between her and Beast Boy, noticing the growing tension in the air between them.

"Just because you're infatuated with her, doesn't automatically make her trustworthy!" snapped Raven, her chest heaving once.

Dick's eyebrows bolted up into his bangs just as Starfire gently shushed Raven. Terra turned in her sleep, scratching her belly once before beginning to snore again. A quiet hung over the group from Raven's pronouncement. Dick was shocked to see the subtle emotion that was pouring off Raven. The others weren't noticing it, however. Dick couldn't help but wonder… Was Raven jealous of that fact – that Beast Boy was crushing on Terra?

His eyes glanced between the two of them, taking in every detail of their body languages.

Raven was a subtle person. She was like Slade in that she did her very best to avoid outward appearance of emotions. But just as Slade, she wasn't perfect at it. There was emotion inside of her; therefore, when her control failed her – as it had now – then, it was more than apparent of what her feelings were to an observer who was proficient at noticing the unnoticeable.

And Dick was just that person.

It was becoming clear to him that Raven just might have _some_ feelings for the adorable, yet obnoxious green team member. He wasn't sure when that had happened, but then again he'd been gone for seven months. During his absence, anything could've changed their hearts. It would seem as if everyone had some kind of crush going on. Cyborg seemed to be the only sane one around here. Dick was struggling with his own crush. Last thing he needed was further discord between Beast Boy and Raven. Those two could fight like cats and dogs if you gave them time to ramp up.

Beast Boy flushed deeply, his cheeks confirming Raven's accusation all too well. His chest puffed out and his mouth opened to protest some more, when Starfire's gentle and kind voice rose above the contention; drawing the attention to herself as her peacemaking skills came into play.

"It has been a long day," said Starfire, her voice soft, yet powerful. "Why do we not all go to bed early tonight?"

"That's a good idea, Star," nodded Dick, giving Beast Boy no time to interject again. "For now, Terra stays. We'll take this one day at a time, all right, guys?"

ooOOOOOoo

* * *

**Next Time:** Chapter Four: Supported in the Darkness – Yet again Dick's sleep is plagued with his daily nightmare, the images burning into his subconscious with a terrible vengeance. Away from his true home and feeling lost, Dick seeks his father's voice.

**Author's Notes:** Every time I draw Slade, I have this overwhelming urge to shave him bald. His hair is so hard to draw, I can't even tell you. Those curls… UGH. But I'm pretty sure Slade would kill me if I tried. Dick's hair is just as hard, but he's lucky. Because I can just say, "Yeah, no hair gel for you today, kiddo." and I'm good to go. XD LOL.

Thanks for reading! Next update will be on Friday! See ya next time! Reviews = love and ideas! ^.^


	4. Supported in the Darkness

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much for the reviews, everyone! They're the life bread of us writers, so I really appreciate your kind words and your speculations. :3

*scratches head* 'Severe angst' doesn't even _begin_ to describe the nonsense that's gonna happen in this novel. And that's _only_ the 'end of the world' stuff. The first few chapters might seem a bit slow at first, but that's because the tension between our lovely teens needs to be built. Not to mention some fun, yet not so fun tension/drama between father and son. At some point, there will be two climaxes. Currently, the second one is looking to be at around chapter twenty/twenty-one, but that's subject to change, since I'm always adding chapters – but there you go.

So far, at this very moment, there are 36 projected chapters. (Once again, subject to change; possibly 37 since I'm finding that chapter 5 might be split into 2 chapters) Given the average length of my chapters of 5k per, that's about 180k words – _at least_. _Yare, yare,_ that's a lot.

I will give you an internal date, so you can gauge just how close we are. There is no official birthday for Raven that I could find – and at this point, it doesn't matter, because it'll mess with my timeline – so, I had to create my own. The date of her birthday and the date of 'the end of the world' had a lot of thought put into them. For now, I'll just be giving you Raven's birthday. It'll be May 24th, 2009, which also happens to be the night of the new moon.

Okay, so, the warning for **Frightening Imagery** is in effect within this chapter. I tried to make it as scary as I could, but not sure how I did. XD I don't really do this kind of scary, but for the plot, it's required. :/

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**Supported in the Darkness**

**April 27th, 2009. Monday, 8:01 pm.**

As Dick entered his room for the night, he turned to the keypad next to his door as it slid closed. He quickly entered the code to lockdown his room, so no one could enter. He knew he really shouldn't be locking his door, in case someone needed him, but he wanted a moment of peace and safety inside his room. He listened as the door clicked, signifying that it was locked down.

He didn't move from standing by the door. His hands trembled at his sides. He closed his eyes briefly, swallowing once.

He had said that he would stay the night here. He did make it sound like he didn't want to go home. But it wasn't really the case. At that moment, he was trying to ignore the fact that he was at the Tower tonight, but it wasn't really working. He wished he could've taken time to do the dishes, as Slade had told him to, but the noise would've woken Terra; thus, it had to be left until morning.

It wasn't that he didn't like sleeping here, it just didn't feel the same as his room back at the haunt.

Dick turned slowly. He glanced around the room for a moment, taking in the décor that hadn't been altered whatsoever. The Titans hadn't touched anything in his long absence and Dick himself hadn't done anything to change it.

There were still numerous newspaper clippings on the walls of his room in the first section that was walled off from the second section that held his bed. He tore his gaze away from the clippings, swearing to himself what had to be the hundredth time this month that he'd take down those creepy clippings once and for all. He walked to his bed and felt the relief of the clean walls within the second area of his room.

Kuroi was perched on his pillow on the bed, curled up and asleep. He could hear her gentle purring as she slept. He smiled softly, placing a hand on top of the kitten's head and stroking her black fur. She cracked open an eye and mewled sleepily, still ever purring softly.

After a moment, Dick withdrew so he could get dressed for the night. He tugged off his clothes, laying it aside in a chair; quickly dressing into a set of pajamas. He sat down on the edge of his bed, staring at the clock that said the time in bright red colors. They looked so innocent, yet it reminded Dick of the color of blood. He swallowed once, turning his head away.

He was afraid to sleep. He didn't want to go to sleep and see that same color in his dreams. Every night, he was having a difficult time sleeping because of the nightmares. Being at the Tower, though, made it seem just a little worse. He felt so alone here in his solitary bedroom. He was truly thankful for the kitten's presence or else Dick would've made excuses every night of why he had to be back home. However, while he found a sense of peace in his other room, he didn't like the fact that Slade could hear him if he screamed in his sleep.

The one good thing about his room at the Tower was the fact that it was soundproof.

Despite being able to be heard, being nearer to Slade brought a sense of comfort to his soul. He was too far away at the moment in case he needed the man – even though he'd been avoiding talking about this nightmare with Slade. He just _couldn't_. This wasn't the same as his old nightmares about his parents dying or being tortured by the Joker. Those nightmares didn't seem like _nightmares_ any more. Dick almost wished for a revisiting dream from them. Anything would be better than what he was being plagued with every night.

Would he have the same nightmare again? Would he have to experience those horrible images yet again? Would he have to endure that voice again? Was there no peace for him in the night? It just didn't seem fair at all. There was nothing wrong with him. He wasn't experiencing any trauma or drama in his life – at least nothing bigger than crushing on a girl. Shouldn't he be having dreams about embarrassing himself in front of Starfire to the point where she wouldn't talk to him any more and even moved to another planet to marry some handsome alien prince, _just_ to get away from him?

Wouldn't that be a whopper of a dream?

Dick sighed. He pulled his feet up from the floor, slipping them underneath the covers. He slowly curled beneath his blankets, laying his head down next to the purring kitten. Her small body filled his view completely.

If he were completely honest with himself, he would have to admit that he wasn't just afraid of going to sleep, he was _terrified_ to go to sleep. The nightmare brought out everything that truly frightened him to his core. It never changed. It was always the same – _always, always, always the same_. It was like his mind played the same movie over and over again.

However, there was one section of the dream where it truly felt _alive_.

It was that section of the dream that terrified Dick – terrified him to the very center of his soul with an unrelenting fear that gripped his heart with a deadly hand. In that part of the dream, he was faced with a variable that lived and breathed on its own; changing fluidly every time as if it had been waiting for him every night.

It varied. It spoke. It mocked. It laughed. It threatened.

He refused to give it a gender, even though it did have one. Giving it a gender meant that it was truly alive, that it truly had some place within his soul. He didn't want to claim it. He didn't want it connected with himself.

But every time he looked inside its face, he knew he was just fooling himself.

In some ways, at that very moment, he wished he were back home with Slade. The first time he had the nightmare, Slade had been there for him. Sure, it'd been a bit childish; but after seeing such a horrific dream, nothing had been better than being curled against his father's side, feeling the man's protecting strong arm around him as if telling him without words that everything was all right and that he was safe.

Just knowing that he could do that was a comfort for Dick, even though he hadn't sought out the man the past week in the night. He was trying to endure it. But his endurance was waning. He almost felt like a little child, frightened by the monsters under the bed. Except this time, it wasn't imaginary monsters lurking in the night, but true horrors and monstrosities that lived inside his very mind.

He didn't even have his old lamb here in Titans Tower. Sometimes having that dear lamb made things a little better, a special remnant from his mother.

Dick's lips trembled as he squeezed his eyes shut. His father had told him to go to bed early. Well, he was in bed, but he couldn't sleep. It would be a few hours before he'd fall asleep. His mind was too much on edge. He couldn't relax, not when he knew what would happen next. He tried to be strong. He knew it was just a dream. But sometimes hearing the same lie over and over again made it seem like truth.

But truth was truth. It never wavered; it never changed; it gave the same answer every time – the only key was, it needed to be found.

So, what was the truth? Dick wasn't even sure any more. One week was more than enough for him to question what was real and what wasn't. He was questioning his sanity; he was questioning his strength; he was questioning his heart.

So, why did he still refuse to go to Slade about this? He wasn't fully sure. The man always reassured him that Dick could seek him whenever he needed to; that he would never push Dick away. Maybe the dream frightened Dick so much he wasn't sure what to do any more. Whatever the reason, because of his choice, he was facing his trial alone.

Maybe he was making the wrong choice… Had he truly learned anything from his time away from the Titans? Wasn't he _supposed_ to rely on others during hard times like this? Why did he always insist on trying to bear things alone? What use was a father that he didn't turn to? Slade wasn't there simply to provide things for him or just to feed him – Dick could do that on his own. Slade was there to be his confidante, to be his listener, to be his unique friend, to be his mentor, to be his teacher, to be his disciplinarian, to be his comforter, to be his protector – to be his _family_, to be his _loved one_.

Dick had signed those papers wanting all that. He wasn't supposed to forget those feelings. He had wanted that so much. He had missed having that after _so many years_. It was foolish to try to endure this on his own and yet he was doing it anyway. If he wanted to grow up and move past his mistakes, then he had to stop acting like he had a year ago. A year ago, he had tried to do things himself; thus, creating Red X. In the end, his choice had gotten him kidnapped and only by the course of something truly amazing had made that choice into a magnificent blessing.

Dick didn't want to be reminded of the lesson a second time, though.

_Tomorrow_.

Tomorrow, he would talk to Slade about the dream. Tomorrow, he would unload all those horrible feelings that he was keeping locked inside of himself.

_Maybe…_

_Probably…_

_Mmhmm…_

Hopefully, he didn't chicken out.

_Well_, not 'chicken out' per se, more like… not say anything.

He was doing it again, wasn't he?

He probably wouldn't tell Slade, if he were honest with himself. He just couldn't tell the man. It was too horrible.

But just thinking about letting himself go to his father for comfort was bringing a small peace to his heart. Almost as if she could feel his distress, Dick felt Kuroi move from her spot on the pillow and curl herself at the crook of his neck, purring deeply; the sounds of her purring reverberating against his throat. With that gentleness and softness comforting him, Dick found himself falling asleep soon after eleven o'clock.

Unfortunately, history repeated itself.

ooOOOOOoo

_The air was suffocating._

_The air crackled with raging flames._

_The air smelt of burning flesh._

Dick gasped, clasping his hand over his mouth. His throat burned from the horrific smells that oppressed the atmosphere. The toxic air stung his eyes, causing tears to appear there. Fear pumped through his entire body, freezing his movements completely. Only his eyes took his surroundings. No matter how much he wanted to close them, they would not allow him to do so. It was as if there were an unknown power, forcing him to view the horrific images.

The earth was ravaged.

Buildings were crumpled to the ground. Flames licked the terrain, never dying as they continued to burn and raze. Molten lava melted the very earth, the liquid flames pouring over the sea; turning the scarlet water into further melting lava. In the distance, bodies were strewn across the landscape. The earth was covered with them. Some held grotesque positions. Some were burnt beyond recognition. Dick did all he could to avoid from focusing on those images. He knew what they held was horrific.

The sky above burned with crimson blood. There was no sunlight, nor moonlight, but an infinitely red sky that promised no light. Clouds tainted by the crimson color were filled with no water, but liquid life force that filled the veins of living creatures.

Black crows with piercing red eyes were the only living creatures that were across the face of the land. Dick wanted nothing more than to throw up as he heard the brawling calls over the available flesh.

There was so much destruction. There wasn't a single living creature beyond those demonic crows. Somehow Dick knew, he just _knew_ that the entire earth looked like this – that the entire planet had been burned with a vengeance. He knew he was the last one left. He was all alone to witness the complete annihilation of his planet. In his mind, he knew this was a dream, he knew what he was seeing couldn't be real. He had just gone to sleep, hadn't he? Kuroi was probably still asleep, curled up at his neck and purring happily in her sleep. If he strained himself, could he hear her gentleness?

This couldn't be real.

_This can't be real!_

But no matter how much Dick's mind tried to see through the logic, his eyes could only witness the reality around him. The world was dead. Everyone was dead. No living thing could exist upon a burning world. The buildings, the monuments, the homes, the businesses – everything that had been touched by human life had been destroyed. The human corpses would one day be gone, gorged upon by those dark crows. Thus, only a distant remnant remained, barely signifying that humans had once existed on the planet.

However, there was one thing that eliminated any doubts that humans had once lived there – for Dick in the least.

His breathing escalated. His mind knew what was going to come next. He could remember everything. The dream unfolded exactly the same every time. And every time, Dick dreaded this moment. No matter how much he knew he was dreaming, that he was asleep, that this _wasn't—couldn't_ be real, somehow his eyes viewed everything as if it were _very, very real_. Tears were already forming at his eyes, but they did nothing to blur the imagery. He gasped for breath, the sobs beginning to break forth.

No matter how he tried to fight against the unknown force, he couldn't stop his body from turning around.

_NO!_

_I don't want to see it!_

_I don't want to see them!_

_No, no, no, no, no, wake up, wake up, someone wake me up!_

_Please…_

But it was no use. He was powerless in the dream. He was powerless in this world. As he turned, another great sob broke through his lips. He couldn't shut his eyes. He couldn't stop from seeing _them_.

It was the most horrific part of the dream. This was the moment he broke down. He couldn't bear it. But the dream forced him – forced him to face his greatest fear.

_Everyone he had ever loved…_

Lay mangled on the burning earth.

Dick screamed.

He dropped to his knees, covering his ears and shaking his head wildly. His sobs tore through the air, seeming to echo across the deadened world. Nothing could protect him. The flames flickered all around him, illuminating the horror that laid before him.

_Mama._

_Papa._

_Bruce._

_Alfred._

_Starfire…_

_Cyborg._

_Beast Boy._

_Raven._

_Wintergreen._

_Slade…_

Blood seeped into the ground, the metallic, organic smell of the liquid of life wafting into the air. His knees became soaked in the blood of those he loved. Dick sobbed harder, trying to ignore it all – but it was as if the dream denied him such. He wasn't in control; the dream fully controlled him. Each one burned their image inside his mind. He saw every detail, every lifeless eye that would no longer wake. He couldn't escape. He prayed to awaken – _anything_ to stop the horror. Why couldn't he wake up? It was a dream, it wasn't true, _this wasn't happening!_

One would think this was the worst part of the dream. The first time Dick had dreamed this nightmare, that was what he had thought. This was his breaking point, after all. But at that moment, he knew the worst was about to come. Indeed, what was about to happen was far worse than seeing his loved ones dead and bleeding on the ground, his skin soaked in their old life.

No, facing _him_ was a thousand times worse because of what he represented.

"Yo, little Dickie," drawled the familiar voice. It made Dick sick to hear _that_ voice, one that didn't belong to this creature of darkness. "Long time no see. When was it since we saw each other? Oh, yeah. _Last night_."

Dick shivered, wrapping his arms around his chest; the tears still flowing down his cheeks. There was a dark chuckle. Then, a grey arm slipped around Dick's neck as someone leaned against his back. A soft voice whispered his ear, the stroke of his breath cruelly teasing his skin.

"_Did you miss me?_"

"Never."

"Aww, you _wound_ me."

"Get away from me."

That dark chuckle rose higher. The arm withdrew, tracing along the back of Dick's neck to slide along his cheek, until the enemy came to crouch in front of him. Dick forced to look into his _own_ _reflection_; the skin, even down to his clothes, burned with a dark grey and those normally brilliant blue eyes were tainted by the color of blood. The reflection version of himself had his hair spiked back, unlike Dick's current hairstyle which hung around his ears. There was a sly smirk that slid up the doppelganger's face as he clasped Dick's cheek with an icy hand.

"Such a pretty face, yet so tainted with your pathetic innocence."

Dick squeezed his eyes shut, tears seeping out of the crevices.

It was the same every time. He had learned far too quickly that this horrible creature in front of him was himself. This double was every evil thought, every cruel act, every horrible feeling that Dick had ever been capable of and would ever be capable of – this much had been ground into his head every time the dream came to its close. This creature made sure of it.

"But I'm so much better than you," whispered his voice. Dick hated it hearing his own voice out of this evil incarnation. It was slightly deeper, slightly more feral and animalistic; as if it delighted in all that it was. "You know that by now, don't you, Dick?"

That icy hand began to stroke his cheek with a tenderness that mocked mothers around the world. The action pretended to contain kindness and gentleness, but it held nothing but an icy, cruel touch.

"Tell me why I'm so much better than you."

"Stop touching me."

"Aw, you're no fun. _Tell me, Dickie_. Why am I better than you?"

Dick shook his head, refusing to answer. The soft, icy hand that was stroking his cheek suddenly whipped back and cracked across his face; knocking his gaze to the side in a violent action. Pain burst through Dick's senses, attesting to the fact that this was no ordinary dream. His cheek stung as that hand caressed the spot it had abused.

"You're such a naughty little boy, aren't you?" purred the doppelganger. "This would go faster if you just admitted your failings."

Dick flicked the hand away in anger, only to be grabbed by the wrist in an all powerful grip. He was pulled closer to the creature in front of him – whom he _swore_ couldn't be human, couldn't be _his_ opposite – as those red crimson eyes gleamed sadistically at him.

"Every time you come here, you scream," said the dark boy, soft shadows flowing from his tone. "And every time, I relish in your screams."

"This isn't real," murmured Dick. "This is just a nightmare."

His doppelganger gave out a low whistle.

"Some nightmare… End of the world… Talking to yourself. Oh, yes, you're going _insane_, losing every shred of your sanity to a night terror."

Dick gave out an angry cry, shoving the other boy in the chest and causing him to fall backwards. He hated this creature before him. He couldn't stand it any more. He would listen to this horrific creature no more! A second later, Dick had straddled him and landed a punch to the face. His next punch was caught in the boy's powerful hand. Those dark, blood eyes gleamed again as a smirk lifted his stained lips, a trail of blood slipping down the edge there.

"Accept it, Robin," purred the dark boy. "You're _weak_. Oh, wait… No, you gave up that part of yourself, didn't you? You're not _Robin_ any more. Just plain little Dick, a stupid, circus gypsy brat without any parents."

"_Shut up!_" screamed Dick, smashing his free fist into the mocking face below him. There was another dark chuckle as crimson continued to paint those grey lips. A grey tongue slipped out and licked the blood there, smearing it.

"You can't win against me, Dickie," whispered the dark boy, his dark smile arrogant. "I am the strength you gave up. You left it behind for something foolish. Now, you're just a little crybaby that runs to _Daddy_."

"_I am not!_"

"Yes, you are. You've regressed. _Haven't you?_ You were cooler before. You were better before. Now, you're just weak and pathetic. No one wants you as a hero… _or as a son_."

"_SHUT UP!_" screamed Dick at the top of his voice. Every time he heard these words, every time these horrible, _horrible_ self doubts spoke into his ears with his own voice, he couldn't help but believe them. They seeped into his mind like drenching sludge; clogging up every truth he had ever known about himself.

The strength left his body, another weak sob breaking his lips. He sunk down onto the body below him, the one that was his own, yet at the same time, he wanted nothing more than deny that this person was a part of his soul. He sobbed into the grey chest. Then, a terrifying lulling sound came from the dark boy's mouth.

"_Shh, shh_. There, there, Dick." Another icy hand slid around his back and patted him as if trying to comfort him – a poor substitute to real comfort. "It's okay that you're weak. You don't have to be anything else. It's okay that no one loves you. You don't need anyone. You don't have to do anything else. I promise. Just trust me. I'll give you the secret to erasing all that pain, hm?"

Then, there was a darker chuckle and the sound of breathing near Dick's ear. The cruel voice entered there once more, its callous words fluttering over his skin.

"_Just die for me_."

Dick's eyes burst open, an icy chill sliding down his back. An instant later, he rolled away and jumped to this feet; pulling himself into a fighting stance.

If there was one thing Dick wasn't going to do, it was die. Slade still needed him. That much he knew, that much he relied on. Slade, _his father_, would be lost without him – the man had made that all too clear, even without saying the words out loud.

This was just a dream. This was just an illusion. This person didn't exist. He was just every evil thing incarnate. No matter how many times it acted like an old, dark friend, he wasn't. There might be dark sides to Dick's heart, as everything in life had a shadow, but that didn't mean he had to accept it. That didn't mean he would allow himself to fall and let it take over him.

He was made of stronger stuff than that – tears and all.

"You are a liar," said Dick, glaring at the grey copy of himself. His opposite gave him a drawling smirk, those crimson eyes radiating dark pleasure, as if Dick's pain was appetizing to him.

"No, _you're_ the liar," whispered the dark boy. "After all, I am _you_."

"You are _nothing_ like me!"

"I'm the same every time we meet. _You're_ the one who changes. _You're_ the one who _weakens_." Those darks whispers were beginning to slip through Dick's defenses once again. "Will you crack tomorrow night? Will you heed my words, then? Will seeing your _beloved_ _Starfire_ broken and bleeding destroy your mind? Or will seeing your _pretend father_ dead once more break your soul?"

_Just a little longer. I only have to endure this a little longer and I'll wake up. It's almost over; oh, please let it be over soon!_

"It's only over when _I_ say it is, Dick," said the doppelganger, his sickening smile spreading wider. "I'm going to make you suffer, make you watch those deaths _over and over_ again, until you scream for mercy; until you _beg_ on your very knees, _groveling_ in the dirt, for your relief."

Those dark eyes took on a maniacal light.

"And when that happens, I'll laugh. Because your suffering will have only just begun. Such a tender heart as yours has no hope to survive. I swear this to you. I will steal from you every sweet thing you've ever known. I will destroy your friends and your family. Then, in the end, when you have nothing left, _I will kill you_."

His dark chuckle flowed into chilling laughter, which lifted into the air, just as he faded with a sickening breeze of the wind; the grey of his body disintegrating into fine dust.

Then, a mocking voice seem to permeate throughout the land, laughing at the earth's destruction – a voice that was cavernous, fiendish, and malevolent. It was pleased with the carnage, with the death, with the horrors. It seemed to breathe over Dick's neck. He shuddered at the heated touch, a sob cracking his voice. Dark, deep laughter flooded over the landscape like volcanic gas; a voice so unearthly, so demonic, it shuddered the very corners of the earth.

"_The end is nigh."_

"_NO!_"

ooOOOOOoo

**April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 3:13 am.**

Dick bolted up in bed, gasping deep, gulping breaths; his scream dying across the walls of his room. The roaring in his ears began to fade and in its place, he heard the gentle, pitying mewls of Kuroi. She had fallen against his back from his sudden awakening. She maneuvered on the bed until she rubbed her head against his hand. Dick's hand slowly lifted and stroked the kitten's head, his other hand lifting to clutch the fabric in front of his heart. He glanced at the end table. The clock blared the time – after three o'clock in the morning.

He shivered.

Dick curled his arms around his stomach, the shivering intensifying. His entire body was covered in a sheen of sweat. The night air made him feel freezing, yet he hated the damp sensation over his body. He felt hot inside his chest. Dick pushed off the covers, only to feel even more cold. Nausea rose up inside his throat. Fear pulsed through him and he bolted out of bed, rushing to a wastebasket that sat next to his end table. He doubled over the edge, throwing up the contents of his stomach into the basket. Acid burned his throat, the smell of the waste assaulting his senses. He coughed and choked, tears welling up in his eyes.

He retched until he couldn't any more, dry heaving in the end. Dick's stomach ached from the muscles it used. When he could gain control, he stumbled back against the bedside, his head resting against the side of the mattress and his chest heaving deeply in his breathing. He roughly wiped away the tears that had accumulated in his eyes. He stood up, grabbing the wastebasket. He walked to the other side of his room, the side partly blocked by the half way, and proceeded to his bathroom. He set the basket aside in there and rinsed out his mouth in the sink. His stomach threatened to dry heave again, but he forced it to calm down; taking long, deep breaths.

Then, Dick walked back to his bed, not wanting to deal with the mess in the wastebasket. The foul, bitter taste in his mouth had faded somewhat, but he could still feel it lingering there. He crawled into bed and pulled the covers up, lying down and trying to bury himself beneath them. Kuroi mewled gently, as if asking if he were all right. She butted his wet cheek with her head and he lifted a hand to pet her soft fur. He closed his eyes, wishing he were back at home in his own room at that moment.

Dick never thought he'd be homesick in Titans Tower. This place was his home, too, wasn't it? Slade's home was merely Dick's second home, not his first. Titans Tower had always been Dick's very first _home_ after his parents' deaths.

But it seemed quite apparent that Dick was all too used to living with Slade in that home, that place which was called a haunt. After so many months there, it was only natural that it became his _home_. Slade lived there. Wintergreen lived there. Those two men had become his family – Slade, his father; Wintergreen, a grandfather figure. Everything about that place seemed natural; from the tiles on the kitchen floor, from the white walls, from the signs on the doors for each bedroom, to the soft couch in the family room in the basement, to the library that contained so many books, to the kitchen table that held so many meals, to the soft bed that was his own and even the one in Slade's room he had slept in after the nightmares – every single detail made up his _home_.

The one he had with his father.

The bed and room he was currently sleeping in felt like a stranger's room.

He curled into himself, pulling his legs up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. Kuroi mewled, purring softly as she rubbed up against Dick's face; seeming to notice the distress that was pouring through her boy.

He wanted to go home. He wanted to hear Slade's voice. He wanted to be held in his father's arms and be told everything was all right. He wanted those horrifying images to be burned away from his memory. His breathing hitched once as he thought about enduring the night alone. He couldn't bear this night alone. He had done so the past week, but tonight was his limit. He needed to hear Slade's voice. He needed to know he was still there. He almost wanted to peek into each of the Titans' rooms, just to make sure they were all right.

_He wanted to go home…_

Then, a thought flashed through his mind. He uncurled and dug beneath his pillow, pulling out his cell phone. His finger laced over the black surface of the screen.

Could he call Slade right now?

It was the middle of the night. It probably wouldn't be wise to wake Slade.

_But_…

Slade always said that he was there for Dick. He always said that he didn't mind being there for him any time, whether it be day or night.

Further images flashed in Dick's mind, rising with them was the pit of nausea in his stomach. He bit his lower lip, squeezing his eyes shut and willing those terrible images from his mind. Words flittered through his thoughts; that taunting voice mocking his sanity even in his waking hours. Such things were too horrible for him to be able to sleep again. Should he bother Slade? Should he bother his father? Wasn't that what having a father in his life again meant? That he could call upon the man at any time he desperately needed him?

That he didn't have to endure things on his own any more?

Without realizing it, his fingers had turned on the device and pushed the call button to Slade's cell phone. Dick pressed the phone beneath his ear as he laid back onto his pillow. Kuroi silently curled up at the back of his neck, purring softly.

As he listened to the phone ringing, Dick wondered if Slade even had his phone on or if he'd answer it – it was late, after all. Dick didn't have his phone on at night. Slade probably had it on vibrate or something and was sleeping soundly—

The phone clicked.

"Dick? Dick, are you all right?"

Dick's voice caught inside his throat as his breath hitched. A small wave of emotion ran through him. The man had answered. _He had answered_. He was _alive_ – of course, he was. Even though it was the middle of the night, Slade had left his phone on – had even answered when he'd probably been asleep. Dick swallowed the lump in his throat. _His father was there for him_.

"Dick? Are you all right? What's wrong?"

Slade's voice sounded tired, as if he'd been awakened from sleep. However, there was a strong amount of worry inside that smooth voice. Dick rested his head more against the pillow, cradling the phone to his ear. He wished he could do that with his father's hand, feel that warmth beneath his cheek. The phone felt so cold.

"I'm okay."

There was a brief pause as Dick listened to Slade breathing in. Dick drank the sound in, letting that alone bring him comfort when he couldn't have the human warmth.

"Another nightmare?"

"Yeah," whispered Dick. There was a long sigh from Slade.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really…"

"Was it the usual nightmare?"

"No… it wasn't a memory."

There was silence for a few moments. The only sounds that entered Dick's ears were the purring of the kitten and Slade's breathing on the other end of the phone.

"If it wasn't a past memory," began Slade, his tone soft. "Then, it was just a dream. It wasn't real – just a nightmare; a figment of your imagination."

He could've believed that. Dick could've believed that if it'd only been a single dream, a single nightmare. But this horrible dream kept plaguing him, ravaging his nights with its cruelty and savagery. He had no rest from it. The beginning was exactly the same, never varying a single degree. Then, that final part of the nightmare, that moment where he was faced with something truly heart failing, it always unraveled his thinking. Some unknown force was mocking him, forcing this recurring dream upon his nights – there was no doubt in his mind. It was _unnerving_, to say the least. It frightened him terribly to think that something like that could come to pass.

What if the dream was warning him of the future? What then? What if it wasn't his imagination that was playing this cruel trick on him? What if it was something more than that? Once again, even lies could be believed after being repeated so many times. If this was a lie, Dick was slowly starting to believe it. He couldn't take it any more – the images were being carved into his very mind; the silky, evil words were being etched into his heart.

"What about… recurring dreams?"

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the phone.

"Is this the same dream that's been happening?" asked Slade, his tone turning sharper.

"The first time was when I brought Kuroi home," whispered Dick. "That night that I… that I slept in your room. It's the same dream that's… well, that's basically been occurring every night since then."

There was a sharp intakes of breath.

"_Every night?_" breathed Slade, his shock and displeasure heavy in his tone. "Why haven't you told me this sooner?" There was another intake of breath. "So, _that's_ why you were up so early yesterday morning."

"Yeah…"

There was another period of silence.

"Why haven't you told me?"

Dick sucked in his breath. He remained silent, unsure how to answer that. Why hadn't he told Slade that he was having nightmares? He still wasn't sure of the answer. It didn't make sense. Somehow, every time he wanted to open his mouth, the words locked inside his mind. The doppelganger's words would fill his thoughts, poisoning his heart. He couldn't bear it if those words that were seeping into his mind were suddenly true.

"Dick?" prodded Slade. Dick sighed softly, curling his face near the phone a little more.

"I don't know. I just… I just didn't want…" Dick trailed off, unable to form his thoughts any more.

"Dick, you're not to hide these kinds of things from me, do you understand?" said Slade, his tone serious. "If you're having problems and issues, you need to tell me. I need to be aware of your health and I can't always tell if something's wrong if you hide it from me. No more hiding something as serious as this. Am I understood?"

Something in the man's tone completely meant business. There was no wavering there. Dick was to obey that request or else there would be consequences – that much Dick understood. It was Slade, after all. The man expected obedience, one way or another. That much had been carried into the adoption.

But at that moment, Dick wasn't sure if he could obey that command. He just wasn't sure if he could tell the man he was having this nightmare every time it occurred. It gave the man another opportunity to ask what it was and Dick just couldn't. _He just couldn't_.

_There was no way_.

"Yes, sir," whispered Dick. There was a sigh from Slade and another pause, before the man continued.

"What is the dream about?"

Dick's breath caught inside his chest as he was once again assaulted by the images of the dream. He couldn't answer that question. He couldn't bring to words the terrible, horrific nature of the nightmare – of what it entailed. It was just simply too awful to say out loud. Saying it out loud would only make it seem real. Saying it out loud would mean those words were real. Saying it out loud felt as if it brought power to it. He couldn't tell Slade that he saw the ones he loved dead or that he saw the world's destruction. He couldn't tell Slade the words of self doubt that his double spoke to him. He couldn't tell his father about someone so awful when it represented _his own self_. He couldn't articulate just how frightening it was or how much it was burned into the memory of his mind.

He just couldn't do it.

"I can't—" Dick shuddered. "I can't talk about it. It's too horrible, too terrible, too _everything_."

There was a long pause, as if Slade were considering his words. Dick shuddered again, curling an arm around his stomach as he felt nausea rise there again. He wanted them to stop. He needed these nightmares to stop. Why couldn't he have a peaceful night any more? How much longer did he have to endure it?

Then, a soft voice reverberated inside his ear.

"No matter what, the dream isn't real, Dick. You know that, right? You're safe, no matter how terrible the dream or whatever happened there – they were merely created inside your mind. It _isn't_ real. You're safe. It's safe to sleep. I will always protect you."

A warm glow flooded inside Dick's heart at those words. He smiled, clutching the phone tighter unconsciously, as if wishing he could do the same to Slade at that moment.

"Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," whispered Dick. "Thanks, Dad. I'm really glad I have you."

There was another pause.

"I feel the same, Dick. Will you be able to sleep now?"

Dick's smile grew wider, his heart warming deeply.

"Yeah, thanks for picking up. Even though you were probably sleeping."

"I'll always pick up for you," said Slade, his answer swift. "Night and day, _always_."

Dick's eyes burned at that. It took him a moment to collect his emotions. He had to swallow once, to erase the building lump that had formed inside his throat.

_It was nice… Nice to have a father who cared._

"Night, Dad. _Love you_."

There was yet another pause, much longer than before; until, "Good night, son. I love you, too."

The call ended. Dick slid the phone beneath his pillow, feeling Kuroi curled against his skin even closer. He wiped away a stray tear that had fallen down his cheek. Then, he placed a hand against the kitten's back, stroking the fur and feeling her purrs vibrate against his neck, lulling him gently as he closed his eyes. With those comforting words of his father filling his mind, Dick slowly drifted back into a dreamless sleep.

ooOOOOOoo

* * *

**Next Time:** Chapter Five: Among the Trained – After a lot of coaxing, Dick gets Slade to come to the Tower for a training session with the Titans. However, the act of trust that Dick presents to Terra gets him in a little trouble with his father.

**Author's Notes:** Mmmm, and that, my friends, is the horrific nightmare that haunts Dick _every night_.

As for the suggestion to the old scars, I love that idea! And I know just where to put it, too. Thanks for the idea and look forward to it in chapter six or seven! (Depending on that chapter split) :3 Thank you for pointing out the errors, that's very helpful. And also it's true, it's Silkie. LOL. I went and fixed both error findings immediately, so thank you very much!

Thanks for reading! Next update will be on Friday! See ya next time! Reviews = love and ideas! ^.^


	5. Among the Trained

**Author's Note:** *huggles her reviewers* Thank you so much for your lovely comments and thoughts! They're always so wonderful to hear. *huggles ya'll some more*

My word, this entire week has been one of those 'it's a bad day' moments. I struggled all day yesterday trying to edit this chapter. My brain just felt blocked, and I had a relapse all week. *sighs and then forcibly spazzes* Hopefully this chapter makes sense or has a semblance of my normal style, my dear readers. I have no idea any more. *sprawls over the floor*

Also, to the guest that was waiting for an update at midnight: I _saw_ that review the moment it came in (Although, it was far later than midnight to me) and I was _still_ editing this darn thing. XD

LOL, KUROI THE DEMONIC KITTEN. That's the best description _ever_. I bet Wintergreen thinks that after the feather nonsense. XD

I actually had to sit back and wonder what _exactly_ is 'drama' anyways. I couldn't actually _say_ what it was, so I looked it up. On thesaurus, some of the synonyms and definitions include 'tension, emotion, crisis, climax, and tragedy'. The dictionary states that 'any situation or series of events having vivid, emotional, conflicting, or striking interest or results'.

This is definitely a drama. XD Why? Because it's the end of the world. "Did you think it would be easy?" ;) The good news is that while the plot does revolve around Raven's birthday and all that implies, it's still _very much_ all about Dick and Slade. The majority of the point of view will be from Dick or Slade, with only one section from Raven – so it seems in my file. And through it all, it will be about the trials that occur between Dick and Slade, and how _they_ deal with everything. :3

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**Among the Trained**

**April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 10:08 am.**

"I refuse."

"Come on, Dad, please?"

"I'm telling you, boy, I refuse."

"But we _need_ you," pleaded Dick, pulling his most sincere tone he could into his voice.

There was a snort.

"I honestly can't believe you've been planning this for a week and you just _now_ decide to spring it on me. I don't think it's a good idea. And at any rate, your friends still haven't quite gotten used to me."

"_What_, you're not _afraid_ to come, _are you?_"

There was silence on the phone. Dick grinned to himself as he heard the man draw a deep breath there on the other line. The following words were said with careful precision.

"_Don't be ridiculous_."

"Then, you should have no problem coming, now should you?"

The conversation between Dick and his reluctant father had been going on for quite a few minutes. Dick knew his victory in convincing the man was near and he continued to plow forth valiantly. He knew Slade didn't think this was a good idea, but Dick believed it was. The Titans needed the man's expertise. Slade had so much to offer them and if the plan went through, then it would be the first time that Slade made his presence known at the Tower.

It wasn't that the Titans weren't aware of Slade's presence in Dick's life now. They knew that Slade was a father to him. They knew that the man had given up everything to be just that. They also knew how much Dick needed the man in his life. They had visited his home twice since he had come back to the Titans, but they honestly avoided Slade whenever they could. They accepted the fact that Dick wanted the man in his life, but they certainly didn't make any efforts to have the man in _their_ lives.

And Dick was going to change that.

Slade had much to offer the Titans. Dick had already been planning on getting Slade's help with the training schedule that he had created for his team, but he hadn't known when he wanted to start. Terra was the perfect reason to set his plans into motion. She wasn't as skilled as the other Titans. Nor could was she skilled in using her powers. Training with Slade could help her gain the right kind of edge on them. Not to mention, the Titans could greatly benefit from such knowledge, too.

"Did you do the dishes like I told you to?"

Dick had to bite back a giggle. "Don't change the subject, Dad."

"Well, _did_ you?"

Dick sighed, shaking his head. "I did them this morning before I called you."

"You're such a mischievous imp, you know that, right?" said Slade, his amused tone fully apparent there. Dick only smiled.

"So you've said before. Come on, Dad. The Titans need you. We bow down to your all awesome power and _amazingness_."

There was a low snorting sound that soon melded into highly amused chuckles. Dick couldn't hold back his own smile as he heard the man laughing.

"You're really laying it on thick, aren't you, boy?"

"Anything to get you to come. Really, Dad. I need you to see what each of us are lacking and help us overcome it. We need to grow individually as well as a team and you're good at finding our weak points."

There was a low sigh. Silence soon followed it.

"So, you'll be here in ten minutes, right?"

"_Hold up_, I haven't agreed. And anyway, you know it's a good twenty to twenty-five minutes to get to the Tower, boy," drawled Slade, sounding somewhat annoyed and grouchy at the thought.

"Make it here in ten minutes, Dad. Wear workout clothes, would you?"

There was an exasperated sigh on the other line. Dick could only grin wider.

"_Fine_. I shall do this. Ruin my image further, will you, child? But beware, for when I show up, you're in for a swat, you impudent, pushy little brat."

There was the undeniable sound of teasing in the man's tone.

"Love you, too, Dad."

There was a snorting sound before the call ended. Dick flexed his shoulders, still unable to wipe the grin from off his face. Yup, he was officially excited now. He was sure his friends would take awhile to get used to Slade, but once they warmed up, they were sure to realize that Slade was different now. They just needed to see it more. He wasn't that old criminal. He was just a man and he was just a father – nothing more and nothing less.

But it meant everything in the world to Dick.

Dick clapped his hands together. They were currently outside on the training ground of the island. There were numerous large rocks and stones in the area. Hidden beneath many of the boulders were machines of an obstacle course. The Titans were assuming that this was going to be their training today.

Well, they were wrong.

Dick had a plan. He knew that they were a decent team. They could handle themselves quite well with a common criminal. However, what if they were faced with someone as powerful as Deathstroke? If a criminal of that level came against them, they would fall. No amount of 'good guy vs. bad guy' could change that fact. Dick had learned that all too well the past year. If Slade had truly been after them as a group, they would've been destroyed. Even some of the Gotham villains would be troublesome for the Teen Titans.

Thus, they needed some specialized training. Dick knew that his father excelled in combat of multiple forms. Dick hoped that he could help his friends learn new fighting art forms that could be used in harmony with their powers. Slade had that perfect eye of seeing what you were doing wrong during a fight and then just how to correct it. Dick had spent months under Slade's constant training; thus, he knew how good a teacher the man was.

His friends needed to experience this.

The other four Titans and potential 'Titan in training' were sitting on the ground, waiting for the day's events to begin. Terra was the only one who was looking nervous between the group. She was clasping her hands and unclasping them. Her hair kept falling into her face, and every once and awhile, she would tuck it behind her ear.

"All right, gang," began Dick, clapping his hands together once again. "I've got a treat for us today."

Those words were quite effective over the group – at least for the boys. Starfire always looked excited about everything; Raven was just Raven; and Terra still looked nervous.

"What kind of treat?" asked Beast Boy, his pointed ears perking upwards.

"You'll just have to wait and see," said Dick with a happy smirk.

"Aww…"

"Also, the one who does the best gets their choice of what movie we watch tonight and first choice of pizza."

That fired up the boys beyond measure. Cyborg let out his trademark _'booyah!'_ while Beast Boy whooped in the air. Both of them began stretching vigorously and commenced telling the other that he was going _down_ in one elaborate fashion or another.

Dick smiled. He knew that the excitement of this wouldn't last for long once they knew _who_ they had to train with. _Ah, well_.

Dick turned his glance to Terra. He could see the nervousness that she was emanating. There was an uncertainty about her whole stance and Dick could feel it. He felt that if he wasn't forthcoming with the girl, then she wouldn't be either. What he was about to do would be the first step with ensuring her position in the group. Dick truly felt that she had no other place to go. Not to mention, she would make a good addition to their team.

Once he did this, he would confront her after training. He would find out what she _really_ wanted with them. But in the meantime, he would take the first step. It was a risky move. He knew it. But he was going to do it anyway.

"Terra," began Dick, squaring his shoulders and standing tall. He took a deep breath. _This is it_. "I wanted to fully introduce myself to you."

The other Titans stiffened suddenly and gave him wary looks. The two boys stopped their stretching, shocked in their stances. Cyborg's eyes widened as Beast Boy's ears flicked upward. Even Raven looked surprised, appearing unsettled by this news. Starfire glanced between the group, looking slightly confused. Dick lifted his hand to his face and clasped the edge of his mask, but was halted by Cyborg as he quickly spoke up; his nervousness fully apparent in his tone.

"Wait, Rob, are you sure you want to do that? I mean…"

There was a quiet pause between the group as Dick's friends watched him with uncertain expressions. There was a moment where his heart wavered once. Was this the right choice? Dick couldn't know for sure. But truly… he did feel that this was the path he should follow. He did feel that he was supposed to tell Terra his name; that he should be completely open with her.

In all honesty, he didn't want to hide behind his mask any more. He had long abandoned that identity. He couldn't be that boy any longer. If he tried again, _Dick_ just might fall beneath the cracks; thus, losing all sense of his true self. That had already happened once before.

Being someone he wasn't just couldn't be allowed again.

"Yes, I'm sure," answered Dick, his resolution filling his tone and reaffirming his stance. Terra glanced at the group, obviously feeling the tension that suddenly rose between them.

"Do what?"

"I'm going to tell you my true name," said Dick, giving her a soft smile. Terra's eyes widened. "This is an act of trust. The others don't really have another identity. I'm the only one who hides behind a mask. Here at the Tower, though, I don't do that any more and with your presence here, I'd rather not have to go back to that." Dick's smile grew. "That's why I'm going to show you an act of trust. I hope you'll respect it."

Terra nodded, her eyes still wide. With strength rising inside his chest, Dick removed the barrier from his eyes and gave her an unmasked smile. It felt good to take off the mask; so different from his old self a year ago, who hadn't been able to bear to sleep without it. He took a step forward and held out his hand.

"My name is Richard Grayson, but everyone just calls me Dick. Nice to officially meet you, Terra."

The girl accepted his handshake, still looking extremely surprised by his actions. Cyborg looked the most uneasy out of the other four Titans. Since he was the oldest, he knew the consequences should Terra decide to turn around and use that knowledge against Dick.

But Dick felt that she wouldn't use this information against him. There was something suspicious about the girl, _yes_. However, somehow Dick just knew she wouldn't sell out his identity. Why or how he knew, Dick wasn't sure. It was just a feeling inside his heart. It was like that moment his heart _knew_ he could trust Slade's word.

It was just a special feeling, one he couldn't describe, nor one he could grasp. It hadn't really been logical, yet he had just _known_. That was exactly how he just knew that Terra had a good heart.

"All right, in about fifteen minutes or so, the surprise will be here. So, I suggest we stretch while we wait, because training starts right when the surprise comes!"

Thus, the six teens went about their stretching exercises. There was a lot of speculation about what the surprise would be and Dick was heavily amused by it all. Raven alone seemed to know what it truly was – well, _really_, it didn't take a lot of thinking to figure it out. But only Raven was _that_ sharp. Dick was thankful she didn't say anything about it, however. It would've caused some contention, that was for sure.

Not that contention was unavoidable…

As Dick stretched with his friends, he kept his attention to the ocean; watching for when that boat would sail. He felt fidgety and nervous, even with his excitement. He was worried about the approaching argument that would no doubt occur once the man arrived. He hoped that a full out war wouldn't happen over the man instructing them.

This should be… _interesting_.

It was a few minutes later when Dick caught sight of the boat coming near Titans Tower. Truly, Dick must've looked like a child on Christmas morning when he saw that boat. Raven kept throwing him a raised eyebrow, but he shrugged and gave her a bright grin – in the which, she'd roll her eyes and shake her head at him.

Finally, Dick couldn't hold back the broad smile that spread over his face as he saw the boat dock. It was going to crack his face – there was no doubt about that. Containing his childlike excitement was like asking the sun to stop rising with each new day.

He enjoyed training a lot with Slade – more so now that he wasn't going to be forced as an apprentice to a mercenary. However, this was a revolutionary moment in time. Slade was here on the island, at Titans Tower, as a _guest_; as a trainer; as a mentor; as a master of what he did. A year ago, it would've been a cross between an unimaginable and blissful dream to a frightening and horrific nightmare. Now, it was merely an amazing reality. It made Dick's heart glow with pure joy.

But he knew it would only last for a few moments of peace before the animosity set in.

And he was right.

"_Slade?_" hissed Cyborg, as he glanced at the dock. The unmistakable form of Slade was currently beginning the trek up the dirt pathway. "What's _he_ doing here?" There was a discontented pause, as the others looked in the direction Cyborg was talking about. Then, a dawning realization flooded through the older teen's features. "_That's_ the surprise? _Him?_"

"Pretty much," replied Dick with a shrug, hoping that that this whole thing would blow over easily.

_As if_.

"That's not a surprise. That's a _nightmare!_"

"What? What's wrong?" asked Terra, glancing between the group. Unfortunately, her words were set upon deaf ears.

"I am _not_ training with him," said Cyborg, the displeasure and loathing prevalent in his tone. The happiness that had been rising inside Dick's heart suddenly vanished. He knew it'd be difficult to do this, but he hadn't realized it'd be _this_ difficult.

"Cy, he has a lot to offer this team," said Dick, gently trying to convince the older boy. "He's a good teacher and he's _willing_ to teach us. There's nothing bad with—"

"_Nothing bad?_" repeated Cyborg incredulously, his human eye flashing with anger, while his inhuman one seemed to glow with a harsher red. "Are you forgetting _who he is?_"

Dick stiffened. "I've _never_ forgotten."

"Please, friends," began Starfire, lifting her hands into the air with placating kindness. Her voice had an element of peace, but it, too, was falling on deaf ears. "We must not fight about this. I am sure that Dick has a very good reason to bring Slade here. Surely we can—"

"Look, Star, I get that you can be nice to everyone and forgive everyone, since you're so kind," said Cyborg, the derision dripping through his tone – yet, there was a sincerity to his compliments. "But I haven't forgotten what he's done; and I'm not just gonna let him come here and act like everything is fine."

"Why wouldn't everything be fine?" asked Terra, trying again.

She was, sadly, ignored again.

"Everything _is_ fine," insisted Dick, his hands slowly beginning to clench into fists at his sides. "Why can't you see that?"

"_Because_ there's _nothing_ to see!"

"_Enough!_" snapped Raven, making the entire group flinch from the sharpness of her tone. "I honestly don't see the problem here. We shouldn't be fighting about something so trivial."

"_Trivial?_" demanded Cyborg hotly. "But—"

"Robin is _here_," said Raven, her voice low, yet carrying a powerful air. "He is _safe_. There are no more problems. We shouldn't be making up issues that have been resolved for a month now."

Cyborg let out a huff, folding his arms and glaring out at the ocean. Beast Boy's ears were drooping sadly as he looked between the two boys. Terra looked as confused as ever and even a little miffed at being ignored for so long. But it was obviously a bit bigger than her. Dick sighed, wishing that everything would be all right already.

It hurt.

It honestly hurt.

He had thought that Cyborg was at least _civil_ about the subject of Slade, but it seemed that the older teen had been allowing hard feelings to fester. Would Cyborg ever not hate Slade?

Luckily, Dick didn't have long to wallow in the tension at the moment, because Slade finally walked up the pathway toward them. He stopped, once he came to Dick's side. For a moment, the man observed him with a raised eyebrow. Dick was truly an open book when it came to being read by the man, because it was then that Slade dropped a hand onto his head and ruffled the mop of raven black hair with affection; causing a delighted, soft giggle to escape Dick's lips. There was a narrowing of dark eyes at this, but it remained unseen.

Slade's kind gesture relieved some of the hurt that had begun to prick Dick's heart.

Shockingly, the man had actually done what Dick had requested. Slade was wearing a black t-shirt and light grey sweat pants. His upper arms were bare, along with his forearms; revealing a thin coating of pure white hair on his skin. It was more noticeable due to the bright sunlight that shone down on them all.

It was certainly a different picture for the Titans to see. This wasn't the man in an immaculate, white button down collar shirt nor was this the man in pressed black slacks. This wasn't the man in an intimidating Kevlar suit nor was this the man in a mask of mystery.

This was just a man in workout clothes, who looked more than an expert with those prominent muscles displayed clearly. Slade's arm muscles weren't abnormally large, however. His overall look did produce power. This wasn't a man to be trifled with – there was no doubt about _that_.

Slade instantly could tell there was tension in the group – Dick could see it in the man's expression. Slade raised an eyebrow as he glanced over the teens. Then, he rested his 'I told you this wouldn't be a good idea' smirk onto Dick, who shrugged and just gave him a happy smile.

It was going to work, one way or another – Dick was going to make sure of it.

"Thanks for coming, Dad," whispered Dick. Slade only gave him a soft smile. The joy of having Slade – _his father_ – here at the Tower was nearly overwhelming. Dick couldn't help the broad grin that was threatening to literally break his face. His cheeks were beginning to hurt.

It was a good thing.

"So, you guys know… Slade," said Dick, giving the man a weak wave in a gesture; actually feeling _strange_ with calling the man by his name. Funny how much things had changed. This man wasn't just _'Slade'_ any more. He was _'Dad'_. The expression he received from this statement was comical. But he continued on anyway, "Terra, this is my father, Slade Wilson."

Slade inclined his head briefly. Terra's eyes slowly took in the intimidating man. Well, Dick had to admit, Slade could be pretty scary and daunting when he wanted to be so. Somehow, Dick had gotten used to that, though.

Then, Slade's eye glanced between Dick and Terra, before it slowly began to widen, as if he were just noticing something.

"Dick, where's your mask?" asked Slade in a low voice, that grey blue eye still taking in the two of them, before resting on eye contact with Dick. There was a growing unsettled feeling that was beginning to emanate from the man.

"Oh, I took it off."

That unsettled feeling that Slade had been giving off suddenly escalated. He pulled Dick away by putting an arm around his shoulders; firmly, yet gently guiding him apart from the others. There was an intense glare from Cyborg at the sight of that. Once they were a small distance from the group, Slade leaned down to Dick's hearing level.

"Who is this child?" asked Slade quietly, so that the others couldn't hear them. Dick sighed, unable to keep a small amount of testiness out of his voice.

"I told you, Dad. That's Terra. She's going to be the newest member of the Teen Titans."

A hand pinched Dick's ear, making him wince at the stern expression from his father. He never could get away with anything when this man was around. The firm hand let go of his ear.

"Be respectful, young man. You've never spoken about her."

"She's the girl I mentioned yesterday," began Dick, trying to indiscreetly rub his ear. "You know, the one we just met."

"_Yesterday?_" hissed Slade, his expression turning to anger; the light in his grey blue eye sparking furiously. "You met her _yesterday_ and you've already brought her into your group? Not only that, you showed her your _identity?_"

"Yeah, but—"

"_Idiot boy!_" snapped Slade, his tone rising as he grabbed Dick by the shoulders, nearly shaking him once. This raised voice gained them glances from the Titans. Dick felt his face flush from the man's incensed tone.

"_Da-a-ad_," whispered Dick, drawing out the man's name as his eyes darting to his friends; feeling the embarrassment rise up inside his chest. His cheeks heated up at their stares. "Keep your voice down, will ya?"

"I thought you were more intelligent than this," said Slade, hissing underneath his breath as he glared at Dick. The man's hands squeeze his flesh firmly. "I thought you _knew_ not to be free with that kind of information."

"I _know_—"

"Yet, you did it anyway." As Dick was about to voice his further protests, Slade put up a warning hand. "This is _serious_, Dick. You don't know _anything_ about that girl. She could very well be an enemy."

"She's not!"

"You don't know that," said Slade, his tone turning sharper. "You only know what you see and only what she tells you. You aren't this naive normally.

"I'm not being naive!" snapped Dick, forgetting that they were still gaining an audience. "I knew it was a risk, but I needed to do this for Terra. I felt that something was off with her and—"

Slade raised his hand yet again, the anger rising in his indomitable eye. The man's nostrils flared and Dick wondered if he had pushed him too far. For a moment, Slade took a deep breath, letting it out softly. His jaw clenched as his Adam's apple contracted with a light swallow.

"Are you telling me," began Slade, each word drawing out slowly; the restrained anger in his eye widening further. "That you are _suspicious_ of this girl, and you _still_ told her your most important and guarded secret?"

Dick was suddenly overcome with the realization that Slade thought he had done something _very wrong_. He'd known the man would be displeased with his decision, but he hadn't realized Slade would be _this_ livid about it. Suddenly, the choice to tell Terra his real name didn't seem like such a good idea. But something inside his heart had told him that he needed to do so. Surely it wasn't _that_ big of a deal.

_Right?_

This was _Slade_ – _of course_, it was a big deal.

Swallowing nervously, Dick said weakly, meekness flowing through his whispered voice, "Uhm… _yes?_"

Instantly, Slade grabbed Dick by the underarm and dragged him away from the group, fully ignoring his quiet and frantic protests. Dick glanced back nervously at the other Titans to see Cyborg's eyes narrow darkly, the irritation fully prevalent across his features. Beast Boy's own eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of his face, while Starfire appeared thoroughly confused about what was happening – as did Terra – and perhaps even a bit concerned. And Raven… Well, Raven was _Raven_.

Dick couldn't escape as he was pulled further away.

Once they were out of the sight of the others, the high boulders hiding them from view, Dick suddenly jerked to the side in a panic – _just in time_ to avoid the sharp, reprimanding hand of Slade from connecting with his backside. It was actually downright comical because of the extent in the angle his body arched to avoid its dangerous path – _well_, only comical if there hadn't been a threat of it attempting a second go around.

Therefore, it wasn't that funny to Dick.

"_Whoa_, Dad! They'll hear you," whispered Dick, his tone panicked and his heart pounding in his chest. _That had been close_. However, the man still maintained his firm grip on Dick's underarm.

"I cannot _believe_ you are seriously telling me that you're _suspicious_ of this girl and you _still_ made the choice to tell her! _How is this not insane?!_" hissed Slade, completely ignoring him and preparing to aim once more. Dick quickly grabbed that dangerous and ominous hand in desperation with his own free hand. The glare that bore down on him was withering and chilling – enough to send shivers down anyone self respecting person's spine – but Dick was determined to maintain _some_ dignity in this whole thing.

"Dad, _please_, not here!"

"How could you be so foolish?" demanded Slade, attempting to pull his hand away. "I'm _shocked_ at you. How _dare_ you put your life at _risk!_"

"But Dad—"

"_Hold still_."

"Dad, _listen to me!_" cried Dick, clutching Slade's hand even harder; now more in the act of making his father hear him out, instead avoiding a reprimand. – although, he was attempting to avoid that, too, if at all possible. "_Please_, would you just _listen_ for a minute?"

There was a light growl inside Slade's throat. There was a pause as Slade continued to stare down at him – _more like glare_ – until he completely removed himself from Dick's grasp; releasing his arm as well. The man crossed his arms sternly in front of his chest, drawing up on his full height.

"Sixty seconds. _Go_."

_Sixty seconds?! Way to be patient, Dad._

"I know it sounds crazy," began Dick, trying to say his piece, but with the way the man was glaring down at him, his thoughts were jumbling together worse than a tumbling pile of clothes in a laundry mat. "But I know Terra has a good heart. Somehow, I just know she won't sell out my identity."

"You… just… _know?_" repeated Slade slowly, drawing out each word with overflowing incredulity in his tone.

"Well, yeah," finished Dick, honestly feeling a bit lame now. Whenever this man dissected his actions, he always felt exposed to the stupidity of his choices. It wasn't fair. His intentions had been in the right place. There was no reason for Slade to get so upset by this.

All such previous thoughts escaped Dick's brain as there was another furious glare from his father.

"_Are you hearing yourself?_" snapped Slade, his voice hissing slightly in his irritation. "Are you not hearing the pure _idiocy_ here?"

"Dad, _please_…"

Slade let out an exasperated groan that was mixed with a heavy sigh. He put a hand onto his forehead, slowly bringing it down over his face, until he tugged onto the fur that grew on his chin in the form of a white goatee.

"I cannot believe your immaturity on this matter," said Slade, his tone soft, yet still with a touch of frustration. "I know you're only fifteen and male – thus, bound to make poor decisions in judgment – but I still expected more from _you_, being who you are."

Well, that certainly bruised Dick's ego. Not to mention, he could feel the disappointment in the man's tone – and _that_ alone just made everything a lot worse. However, as the man's words continued to sink into his mind, Dick paused; frowning heavily.

"Wait, what does being _male_ have to do with anything?" demanded Dick, folding his arms and staring at up the man; a defiant air beginning to flow from his person without his full approval. He wasn't about to contend the age factor at that moment. Slade let out an annoyed sigh, dragging his hand over his face yet again.

"It is common medical knowledge that females mature faster than their male counterparts," answered Slade, his tone almost condescending as he dropped into his instructor voice.

"_Hey!_ Are you saying I'm not mature enough to make these kinds of decisions just because I'm a boy?"

Slade gave him a salient, penetrating look.

"Think about your female team members and tell me they're not more mature than the male members."

Dick opened his mouth to instantly protest, before he paused. Memories flashed through his mind. A moment later, he clamped his mouth shut and gave out a grudging sigh.

"Point taken."

Slade inclined his head pointedly. There was an awkward pause for Dick. He bit his lower lip and rubbed the palms of his hands against his sweat pants. He flicked nervous glances up at Slade to see what the man was feeling now. Slade was merely looking down at him with a scrutinizing eye. Finally, after a moment, Slade spoke up, his tone calm.

"Why are you suspicious of this girl?"

Dick could only shrug.

"Well, I thought that maybe she was the one who gave us the tip about it. It seemed too well thought out."

"That fight against the giant scorpion?" asked Slade, his eyebrow raising. "The one that you said you got a little beat up?" Slade's eye narrowed darkly at Dick's nod. "Exactly _how_ beat up are we talking about here? Were any of you injured at all?"

"Uh… j–just a little…" At Slade's increasing glare, Dick gulped and continued, "I just got a little cut is all…" There was another stern 'glare filled' pause. "_Okay_, so it was a gash, but Raven healed it, so you don't have to worry, Dad," he added hurriedly. "Oh, and a small burn, too; and, uh… Starfire got burned as well."

"Did you not think that this girl could be dangerous? She got you and your friend _injured!_" snapped Slade, his expression immediately chasing away his brief calmness. "What if that had been her plan all along? Are you truly not realizing that you could not only be putting yourself in danger, but your friends as well?!"

Dick blinked, biting his lower lip. No, he hadn't thought about _that_. Why hadn't _he_ thought about that? It made his stomach churn at the very thought. He truly did believe he had done the right thing. He was still planning on confronting Terra about her purpose with the team. But getting injured in a battle happened all the time; thus, he hadn't given it much thought.

But what if Slade was right?

It suddenly frightened him – which was rare when it came to something like this. Second guessing himself wasn't something Dick was used to, but now with those logical words slipping through his mind, he was doing just that. What if he had just made a fatal mistake?

"I'm sorry," whispered Dick, swallowing once as his lower lip trembled without his permission. "I really believed I was doing the right thing."

That much was true. He _had_ thought he was doing the right thing; and, in fact, a large part of his heart still believed he had made the right decision. Sometimes, what the heart knew to be right completely countered with what the mind believed to be right. However, in the end, Dick relied more on his heart than his mind – which was the opposite of what 'Robin' would do.

The entire basis of his newfound relationship with Slade as the man's son could be considered _illogical_ to the mind, but his heart fully and absolutely _knew_ beyond a _shadow of a doubt_ that it was the _right_ thing.

There was a deep sigh.

"We will still be having a long discussion about this tonight," said Slade, his tone sharp, yet there was a gentleness that was beginning to seep through it. Nonetheless, Dick winced at the implications of that.

"Uh… i–in my room, sir?"

There was a long inhale. A softness seemed to entire the man's features. But it was replaced with a stern flare within that grey blue eye as the man let out the inhale of breath.

"Well, that certainly remains to be seen, now doesn't it?" said Slade, a suggestive drawl lilting in his tone. "Your intentions seem to be innocent enough, but your attitude has been something less than desired. But I want you to understand this, our conversation about the subject _isn't_ over." That frightening look entered the man's features again. "We _will_ have a discussion and I will ascertain at that point on whether or not you're in big trouble for your foolish judgment. Being a hero again does _not_ mean I will allow you to make poor choices in the matter of your safety."

Dick's shoulders drooped downward, his body hunching slightly in this action.

"I wasn't… I didn't mean…"

"I understand that you are no longer used to being solely Robin in your life," continued Slade, his tone softening as his lecture persisted. "But I still want you to guard your identity. It is only with your safety in mind that I say this. Do you understand me?"

Dick nodded glumly. "Yes, sir."

"Good."

"You'll still train us today, won't you?" asked Dick hopefully, glancing up at the man with pleading eyes and praying internally that he hadn't messed everything up now. It would be horrible if that had happened. It had been so exciting for Dick to have the man here.

However, it seemed as if this wasn't the case.

There was an exasperated sigh and a shake of the head. Dick had a fleeting feeling that he couldn't be in _too_ much trouble if the man could ruffle his hair this gently with that affectionate smile tugging at his mouth – and that was exactly what was happening at that moment.

A glowing peace entered Dick's heart as he felt the man's warmth – through that kind hand and through that gentle, yet tired tone as he spoke his reply.

"If I must."

* * *

**Next Time:** Chapter Six: One on One – Slade individually trains each Titan upon Dick's request. As he engages each teen one at a time, conversations arise; some heated, some curious, and some innocent. Thus, Cyborg confronts Slade on his actions during that first month; Beast Boy inquires about Slade's methods of discipline; and Raven poses a very important question: What's makes a father?

**Author's Notes:** You know, I always find it hilarious when in the movies someone shouts "_Stop! Thief!_" and actually expects said thief to _stop_ by their simple worded command, _as if that has power all in itself_. This same logic applies to Slade when he tells Dick to hold still. *snorts* _Yeah_, Slade. That boy is gonna hold still and stop giving you a moving target. *rolls eyes while chuckling*

Oh, and the reason why Dick hadn't thought about Terra being the source of Starfire's injury is because his author isn't exactly omniscient – no matter how much she attempts to be in her writing. Therefore, said author has now presented the fact of Dick just being a teen with bad judgment. XD Why is Anthy speaking in the 3rd person? Because she is officially zombified.

Next chapter is fun. *smiles* Some Slade and Cyborg conflict. Aheh… _Finally_.

Thanks for reading! Next update will be on Friday! See ya next time! Reviews = love and ideas! ^.^


	6. One on One

**Author's Note:** Awe, thank you all so much for your beautiful reviews and support. They truly lift me up. *huggles all*

LOL, I'm _pretty sure_ Slade was feeling those _exact_ strangling sentiments – and will continue to feel so in chapter seven. And I'm also pretty Dick would rather be strangled instead of Slade's current preferred methods of discipline. Well, at least, the brief thought would pass over his mind. *chuckles*

I did actually draw Slade in a t-shirt. Only because by some miracle, after I wrote a heartwarming scene in chapter seven, that I somehow managed to draw said scene. But I haven't been about to process DA at all, so I haven't posted the drawing. Sometimes I wish FF made it a little easier to share artwork in correlation with writing. A tumblr maybe… I dunno, I can barely figure out that place.

I actually wish I could post more often. But I'm actually barely making each Friday update as it is now. LOL. When I started posting _Forgotten Bonds_, I had like 10 chapters done in advance and my writing rate was unprecedented. Thus, I could keep up with the 3 chapters per week. Sadly, I'm don't have chapters done in advance; though, I do have many chapters halfway done. I currently only have one chapter done ahead and that's like 5 chapters in advance. ^^;

Massive chapter ahead, folks. XD

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter Six**

**One on One**

**April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 10:36 am.**

Dick had to count himself lucky at that moment.

He had narrowly evaded that frightening hand from giving him a good clout across the backside – not that this meant he was out of the woods just yet, so to speak – and Slade was now looking over each of his friends with that critical eye that was used when instructing and teaching.

It was going to be a good day – Dick just knew it.

Well, he was hopeful, in the very least. The two of them had come back to the group and Dick was very proud of the control his will had over the heat in his cheeks. Although, he didn't know it, but there was still a flush of gentle pink gracing his cheeks. For the others, Dick was just going to act like everything was perfectly fine and normal between them.

And that Cyborg wasn't giving Slade the darkest look known to mankind.

"So, how do you want to do this, Dad?" asked Dick, looking up at the man. Slade was still analyzing the teens that stood before him. Terra and Beast Boy were fidgeting underneath his stares, Raven was completely apathetic to him, Starfire was cheerfully smiling, and Cyborg was returning the stare with a scorching one of his own.

Slade was unaffected.

"I think some one on one time with each of the Titans would be advisable first," said Slade, folding his arms as he began to circle the group. The two youngest were fidgeting even worse – Slade certainly circled like a frightening predator, like one of those powerful beasts of the jungle. Cyborg's expression never wavered as his head turned with the circling man.

Then, Slade stopped and looked at Dick.

"This way I can ascertain what each of you need to work on. You'll be last – you always train with me. Afterwards, we can do some group training." The man glanced over the group. "Sound acceptable to you?"

There were consenting murmurs to this, with one enthusiastic one from Starfire. With a smirk, Slade gave the entire group a smug expression.

"So, who wants to go first?"

Before any of the others could speak, Cyborg stepped forward; his dark air still flowing through his features.

"Me," said Cyborg, his tone even; yet there was heavy suggestiveness throughout it. Slade merely raised his eyebrow, inclining his head to the side in acknowledgement. Dick could fully tell that his older friend was itching for a fight with his father. He sighed slightly.

Well, maybe it was for the best. Cyborg would see just how much Slade had changed through this, hopefully.

"All right, then!" said Dick, trying to sound excited and not the actual nervousness that was threatening to burst through his chest. "The rest of us will wait our turn."

As the other Titans walked away to an upper section of rocks – one that was a small cliff face perfect for resting and dangling legs off of – Dick reached out and touched Slade by the arm. The man glanced back at him, as Cyborg walked away in a different section of rocky boulders.

"Dad, please try to be nice. Cy's not exactly… pleased with you here," whispered Dick.

"Really?" drawled Slade, giving Dick a light smirk. "I never noticed at all."

With one last ruffle of Dick's hair – which was growing messier and messier by now – the man walked off after Cyborg.

Worry pressed against Dick's heart as he smoothed down his hair; not even the fading warmth that he had felt from his father giving him comfort. The section where Cyborg was choosing to train would shield much of the fight from the other Titans. Dick would see little of what went on between the two of them. He knew that the older teen was doing this for a reason, but it still unsettled Dick. He slowly walked back to the others. Raven was taking the time to mediate as Starfire and Beast Boy chattered happily with Terra.

Dick plopped back against the flat surface of the rocks and gazed at the receding backs of Cyborg and Slade. He swallowed once, his eyes softening as the two of them disappeared from view. The excitable voices of his friends and the gentle murmurs from Raven as she mediated melded together inside Dick's mind; his worry and thoughts drowning out the ambiance.

He truly hoped nothing bad would happen.

ooOOOOOoo

**April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 10:45 am.**

"I must say that I am quite curious to the reason of why you chose a location that is out of sight from your friends," commented Slade, his tone light as he followed the teen into an area that was surrounded by tall boulders. He could hear the gentle crash that signaled the ocean waves were currently licking against the nearby rocky edge of the island.

The teen didn't answer him right away. The furious attitude that Slade was getting from this boy was extremely irritating. It amazed him that children these days were so disrespectful to their elders and Slade hoped for Dick's sake that he never showed this attitude to an adult. The boy would _not_ like the correction Slade would give him.

Granted, Slade had a pretty good idea as to _why_ the teen was giving him such a strong cold shoulder, even though he was somehow surprised by it. In some ways, he couldn't blame the lad. But Dick had said when he returned to the Tower for the first time in months that everything was well. Was this just not the case? Had Cyborg been holding the bitter feelings inside to avoid upsetting Dick?

It was possible.

Finally, the teen stopped and turned around. Slade casually leaned against a particularly large boulder and folded his arms with an air of indifference. Cyborg cracked his neck in a show of power; flexing his arms and hands as he glared at him.

Slade wasn't impressed.

"I've been waiting for this moment for quite a while now, Slade," said Cyborg, his voice snarling as a confident and dark smile filled his expression.

"Oh?" replied Slade lightly. "And what moment is that?"

"The moment that I kick your sorry butt and make you pay for what you did!"

Slade couldn't stop the low chuckle that escaped his mouth at that statement. _Good grief_, this teen thought highly of himself. Slade couldn't believe the audacity of the brat. He watched the expression darken on that face as he continued to chuckle. He let the light mirth flow into deeper sounds; shaking his head at the mistaken teen.

Of course, it was obvious that Cyborg found this insulting.

"Is that right?" drawled Slade, pushing off from the boulder wall. He slowly advanced towards the teen, who stiffened into a stance, those mismatched eyes darkened further. Slade merely began to circle the teen – in turn, Cyborg began to do the same.

"Yeah, that's right," hissed Cyborg. He bolted forward and began to attack.

It was impossibly easy for Slade to see through the teen's attacks. He could also feel the hatred that Cyborg had for him. Slade felt like sighing and turning his back. It was a waste of energy training this teen. Unlike before, when Slade was bound and determined to have Dick as his apprentice, there was nothing driving Slade to train this brat.

It was obvious that he didn't want to learn from him. Why put in the effort?

But Slade knew that a blue eyed young man was waiting for him. That gentle boy, with a light far more brilliant than the sun itself glimmering inside his eyes, would be waiting and hoping to hear what training had been accomplished – and what further progress could be made.

Dick was trusting Slade to be a teacher, whether or not any of his friends wanted it.

And somehow, disappointing that boy was something Slade didn't want to do.

"You have all power, but no technique," began Slade, easily falling into his instruction mode as he blocked each of Cyborg's attacks. A heavy kick came his way and he caught it. Slade was impressed with the sheer power behind it, something he knew that Dick would never possess. Cyborg was a few inches shorter than Slade; however, the teen was bulkier due to his electronic body. Slade twisted the leg, flipping the teen, so that he collapsed to the ground onto his back.

"You need to work on your technique," said Slade, coming to stand over Cyborg at his side. "Simply throwing power punches isn't going to bring down an enemy who is competent at dodging."

There was the sound of a cannon powering up, along with a low growl. An instant later, Slade leaned back in time to avoid getting his chin clipped by Cyborg's powerful cannon blast, but he could still feel the heated intensity from it across his face. In the moment, Slade felt the ground rustle at his feet. He quickly bent back into a standard flip to avoid the teen's sweeping leg. As Slade stood out of the flip, his view was met with a barreling teen who looked furious.

Slade easily dodged each blow. Because of the anger that was driving Cyborg, his moves became even more sloppy, yet more powerful. Slade dodged to the right, not even lifting an arm. He dodged left, before ducking once. Just as another angry punch came to his left, Slade turned, grabbing the boy's wrist. He pulled the teen back while applying pressure to Cyborg's shoulder with his other hand; twisting the arm behind the teen. A second later, Cyborg's face was pushed into the dirt, his knees bent and into the ground.

"If I've told Dick once, I've told him four hundred and seventy-two times – _yes, I've kept count_ – _control_ your emotions," said Slade, his voice turning sterner. "Attacking with your anger will only make you sloppy. Anger doesn't make you more powerful. In a fight, you need to keep a level head. Getting heated in a fight will only bring about your demise."

Cyborg squirmed beneath Slade's hold, growling underneath his breath.

"Let me up," snapped Cyborg. "This is a fight! I don't have to listen to you. I'm taking you _down!_"

"_Really?_" began Slade, heavily amused. Didn't this boy see he wasn't landing a hit on him _and_ that he was becoming extremely intimate with the dirt on the ground? Nothing would've satisfied Slade more than to tease the boy about that fact. However, instead of antagonizing the brat, Slade tried getting under Cyborg's nerves through a different tactic. "Isn't Dick your leader? Didn't he ask me to come, so that I might offer some training to the Teen Titans?"

There was an angry huffing sound as the teen struggled in Slade's hold, but it was to no avail. Finally, Cyborg resorted to growling under his breath.

"Just because Rob trusts you, doesn't mean that I do!"

Slade snorted as the large teen continued to squirm beneath his hold; thoroughly unable to throw him off.

"I don't expect your trust in me. I just expect you to take in consideration of what I trying to teach you."

"Look, you might have Robin wrapped around your finger," snapped Cyborg, pushing against the ground uselessly once more. "But that doesn't mean you'll get anywhere with me."

Slade's eyebrow twitched.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"I know you did something to make Robin like you. There's no way in his right mind would he _ever_ stand being in the same room with you."

Slade removed himself from the teen. He folded his arms as Cyborg got to his feet; the teen coughed some of the dirt from his mouth and brushed it off his metallic armor.

"I'm not sure what you're alluding to," said Slade, trying to control the anger that was beginning to rise up over this brat. "But I've done nothing to _make_ – as you say – Dick like me. He reached that all on his own."

_Shockingly_, thought Slade wryly. _How that child can find something to like in me surely attests to some kind of unhinged mental capacity._

Or truly, it attested to the purity of love that Dick possessed.

"Look, I don't know what, _exactly_, you did to get Robin to this point – the point of nearly worshiping the ground you walk on – but I _know_ you did _something_."

"I haven't done anything to that child!" snapped Slade, shaking his head at the stupidity this teen insisted on displaying. Suddenly, a dark light entered Cyborg's human eye; his red robotic one glowing ominously.

"Don't kid yourself, Slade. We all know you beat him."

Slade stiffened, his eye narrowing as that single grey blue orb darkened with intense fury at the accusation. So that was it. So _that_ was where this brat was getting to – _how dare him!_ How _dare_ he say something like that. An uncomfortable feeling rose through Slade's stomach and he had to exhale through his nose.

"_Excuse me?_"

"I think I was pretty clear," sneered Cyborg. Then, his expression turned even darker. "What is Robin to you, anyway?"

"My _son_," hissed Slade, exhaling once more. Cyborg scoffed.

"Since when? Doesn't it seem just a _little_ strange? Maybe even _convenient?_"

"He became my son when he – _of his own free will!_ – signed those papers."

"Do _normal_ fathers kidnap their sons beforehand?"

"Anything I say won't be able to explain what happened between us," said Slade, trying not to snap further at the boy. But the anger was just building. He couldn't believe this boy. "You've already decided what you wish to believe. Nothing I say will change that."

"Robin admitted that you beat him," accused Cyborg, his eyes narrowing.

That uncomfortable feeling washed through Slade once more. He wanted to close his eye, but that showed weakness and if there was one thing he refused to show to this brat, it was weakness. He had to remain strong, no matter how _sick_ it literally made him feel at remembering that first month.

"I did," admitted Slade, his voice quiet.

"Still do."

"_No_—"

"I find it strange that Robin would actually like someone who physically abuses him," continued Cyborg with contempt, perfectly overriding Slade's objection. "What did you do, Stockholm Syndrome?"

"How _dare_ you," growled Slade. "How dare you assume anything. I will and _have_ admitted to being unacceptable in my actions against Dick during that first month I held him in captivity. _However_, I have not laid one violent hand on him since then."

"_Right_," drawled Cyborg, laughing darkly; the scathing hostility ever prevalent in his tone. "Right, _now_ it's under the guise of another term. What was it? _Oh, yeah_. _Spank_." There was a pause for effect from the infuriating teen. "Don't fool yourself, Slade. We all know you're hurting him."

"The way I discipline my son is none of your concern," snapped Slade.

"_He's not your son!_" shouted Cyborg, slicing a hand through the air furiously.

Of course, Dick was his son. That gentle boy didn't need to be blood for Slade to feel the same love he felt for his biological children. No one could tell him otherwise. He had done more for a child not of his blood, than most parents did for their own. He had given up _everything_ for him.

"I _adopted_ him," said Slade, forcibly avoiding hissing at Cyborg. "I have _legal_ papers that say I am that boy's father. I treat him like a son. He's as good as a blood son. I don't need you or anyone else telling me otherwise."

"You brainwashed him."

"_How?_" demanded Slade, the incredulity flowing through his voice. "Just _how_ have I brainwashed him? For what purpose?"

"I dunno what your angle is," said Cyborg, shaking his head. "But I'll figure it out. I know you must have some sort of plan with all this."

"Oh, _yes_, of course, I have a plan," drawled Slade derisively; his tone dropping to a dark, powerful one. It was taking all his self control not throttle the upstart. "There is no angle. You'll not find one. Why would I be _here_, training the Teen Titans? What purpose would that give me?"

"You tell me. Or maybe you're more simple than that. Do you get some kind of sick pleasure knowing that you brainwashed Robin?" demanded Cyborg, tilting his head slightly as he glared at Slade. There was an almost goading glint in his eyes. "That you have some kind of power over him? Do you _like_ hurting him, is that it?"

Finally, Slade understood. It was becoming clearer and clearer, and Slade had to admit that he never imagined that this boy would have such cunning in him. The words were trying to bait him – and they almost did. Slade was about two seconds from wringing this boy's part robotic neck. But that was what Cyborg wanted him to do, wasn't it? This teen was just _waiting_ for him to make a wrong move.

Slade took a deep calming breath. He was not going to let this upstart punk get the better of him. In all honesty, it really didn't matter what Cyborg thought about him. It did matter for Dick's sake, in some ways. But truly, Cyborg's opinion on the subject wouldn't change anything. He couldn't revoke those adoption papers. He couldn't stop the feelings that both Slade and Dick felt for one another. And he certainly couldn't change the stunning young man that was Dick's nature – meaning, a child of endless love and forgiveness.

Slade knew he didn't deserve such forgiveness. With each passing day, he felt more and more sickened by his actions during that first month. Yes, the boy had said he forgave him, but Dick deserved someone so much better than that as a father, as a role model. Yet, Dick clung to _him_, Slade, to be his father. If that was what he wanted, then Slade wasn't about to be the one to break his tender heart. He would stay by that child's side until he became a man; he would stay by that man's side until he aged with time.

And even then, Slade would stay by his side – because Dick was his son.

"I gave up _everything_ for that child," whispered Slade, the emotion of his thoughts nearly choking his words. He continued more strongly, still in a low whisper, "Deathstroke is the most feared name in the world. _Everyone_ knows that name and what it means. I gave that up for _him_. I am only a father now. Nothing more and nothing less. I don't have any power over that child beyond that of a father. If anything, it is Dick that processes a power over _me_. If my son wants me to help train his friends, then I will. Because _he_ requested it. He is my full time job now. Whatever that child needs, I want to give it to him. Because he deserves it."

Any training between them seemed to have been forgotten. Cyborg just stood there, staring at Slade with a widened expression. The anger that had filled his features was slowly fading away. Then, as that anger faded, a looked of puzzlement entered, as if Cyborg couldn't figure Slade out. There was still a huge amount of friction between them, Slade could tell; but somehow, his words had softened a part of Cyborg's heart.

"How can I believe that?" asked Cyborg finally, after a moment of silence. "How can I _really_ believe that? It's absurd that someone like you would feel that way for someone like Robin."

Absurd, indeed. A year ago, it would've been unimaginable to Slade. If Wintergreen had mentioned such a thing, he would've laughed in the old man's face. But then again, a small, hidden part of his heart would've hoped it could come true.

"Absurd, perhaps," began Slade with an incline of his head. Then, a genuine smile spread through his features. "But not impossible. _Nothing_ is impossible."

Cyborg glanced away, his expression darkening into one of petulance. It was obvious that Cyborg didn't want everything to be all right. For whatever reasons that were his own, it seemed as if it bothered him that Slade and Dick had reached such an amazing level of understanding. Slade took a step forward, but the teen didn't look up or notice. It appeared as if he were deep in thought.

Then, Slade placed a hand onto the teen's shoulder, making him startle slightly. Cyborg glanced up at him, his eyes widening. For a moment, Slade thought he would shrug the gesture off, but was pleasantly surprised that he didn't.

"There is no way to convince you of the truth if you don't want to believe it," said Slade, his tone serious. "But I must request that whatever ill feelings you continue to harbor against me be between only you and myself. Do not bring Dick into the middle. It would only hurt his feelings and make him feel worse."

Slade removed his hand and pulled away, turning his back on the teen.

"I think you've said all you wanted to, yes? Then, there's no need to continue. Let's go back."

There were no words of protest to that. It had been more than apparent that Cyborg had only been picking a fight. He hadn't wanted to learn anything from him and Slade wasn't about to waste his time any further. Perhaps, another day the boy would want to learn something. Slade could hear the teen following after him, proving that he didn't want to continue the training.

As they came back into sight of the others, Slade could see Dick sitting on a ledge of rock, his hands twisting nervously in his lap. The boy glanced at the others as they spoke and chattered happily, smiling at them every now and then; but there was still a worried expression flooding over his young features. Then, his bright blue eyes snapped onto Slade, the worry coming to a climax in his face.

Dick leapt off the ledge and ran to meet them a few feet in front of the others. He glanced between Slade and Cyborg, who had come to stand next to Slade with a somehow bored expression. If he had been wearing normal pants, Slade would've sworn the teen would've dug his hands into his pockets.

"Well?" asked Dick, his anxiousness overflowing in his tone. His glance flicked between them once more. "How'd it go?"

Slade's expression soften.

"Just fine. Cyborg is an excellent fighter. He just needs to work on some technique," said Slade. "I'm sure with my supervision, you'll be able to work out a good schedule for him."

Dick grinned happily, the anxious worry vanishing from his face. He let out an excited whoop, before turning back to the others.

"All right! Who's next?" asked Dick, placing his hands onto his hips as he grinned at the others. The group started to chatter loudly, trying to decide who would go next.

"Just so you know, I still don't trust you," said Cyborg, his voice low so that only Slade could hear him. "I'm still keeping an eye on you."

Slade glanced over at the older teen, a light smirk tugging at his mouth.

"Good to know my son has such attentive friends."

Cyborg looked started by this. Slade merely gave him an incline of the head as he stepped forward. The other teens were having difficulty deciding who was next. There was a gentle moment when Dick's gaze glanced over at Cyborg. When they connected, Dick gave the older teen the brightest smile. Slade held back the smile that wanted to break free at the disconcerted expression that Cyborg produced.

Dick was continually proving one important fact: he was a very special child.

"Hey, Terra, how about you go next, okay?" asked Dick, giving her an encouraging smile. "You can choose where you want to train, all right?"

The young blonde girl looked positively frightened by this thought, but she nodded silently in agreement. Thus, it began once again, but luckily Slade knew that this girl wouldn't fight with him. He followed her as she walked a small distance from the group. She chose a location that was in sight of the group. Slade was appreciative of this fact. He preferred to train each child in sight of the group – that way, the observers learned as well.

When they stopped, Terra looked up at him nervously.

"W–what do I do, Mr. Wilson?"

Slade snorted.

"Well, to begin with, you may call me Slade or sir. Then, as for this training exercise, simply come at me. I'll decide what to do from there."

"J–just attack you, sir?"

"Yes, that's the general idea," said Slade with an amused nod. "Without using your powers for now. I want to see how you do in simple hand to hand combat."

The girl nodded, looking as nervous as ever. She got into a stance – a very weak one, Slade noticed – and charged at him.

Within thirty seconds, it became quite apparent that this girl knew little to nothing about simple hand to hand combat. She needed the basics immediately before she actually injured herself with her poor form.

"Your posture is weak," began Slade, moving through Terra's attack to correct her stance. She swung her leg to kick him, but he easily blocked it; grabbing it in his hand. "The swing of your kick is wrong. You'll injure yourself if you keep this up."

He pulled her leg upward, causing her to squeak in surprise. Her hips twisted, as did her footing on the ground.

"Hold this position; don't lock your knee," said Slade, tapping the back of her knee. He released his hold on her foot. She groaned slightly, her leg shaking in the air without the strength to hold it there. One hand grabbed her shoulder and forced it straight, his other hand tapping against her back. "Straighten your back, keep your shoulders back."

A few minutes later, Terra lay sprawled onto the ground, breathing heavily. Her instruction had been far different than what Slade normally gave to Dick. Slade had to admit, the girl had potential – nothing on par with Dick, of course, but she certainly had something going for her. With some decent training, she would be quite proficient and could become a worthy hero or a dangerous foe.

Which was why he didn't trust her.

Slade couldn't understand what Dick saw in this girl. What Slade saw was an insecure teenager. She literally emanated this out to the entire world. The other Titans felt like teens, yes, but they each had a level of self confidence that this girl just didn't have. It seemed that she could easily be swayed by other voices. She was young and impressionable – both dangerous elements in a wandering teen with the power that she had.

On top of it all, she couldn't control her powers. It was blatant as a blinking red traffic light. That, of course, merely added another level of insecurity to the girl. The question that bore inside Slade's mind was, what did Dick see that he didn't see? Slade was good at reading people and he just couldn't see this good heart that Dick had talked about.

Could Dick read people's hearts better than Slade could?

"You did good," said Slade, standing over her. "You have a lot to work on, of course. You're a beginner, but with the proper training, you can become proficient."

Sky blue eyes looked up at him with mild wonder. Slade tried not to snort at that. It was almost surreal what was currently happening. A year ago, the thought of training a bunch of teens would've made Slade leave the country in a deep refusal – one child was enough, thank you very much.

Well, two down, only four more to go. Wasn't _that_ exciting?

Oh, _yes_, sarcasm was Slade's friend – _best friend_, even.

It was yet another few minutes later that it was decided Beast Boy would be next. Thus, that was how Slade was standing in front of the very green child – in more ways than one – and was studying what to do. They were a further distance than Terra had decided to train, but closer than Cyborg's choice. Slade continued to look down at the boy. Beast Boy looked as he wanted to say something, but was obviously far too nervous to speak up.

Finally, he seemed to work up the courage to do so, but his voice came out soft and higher than normal.

"Uh… Mr. Slade, sir?"

Well, this was a pleasant change, if not a little overboard. Slade gave a low chuckle.

"You may call me Slade or sir."

How this impossibly green child could sport a pinkish hue of blush across his green cheeks was beyond Slade. But somehow, Beast Boy managed it with perfect precision.

"Y–yes, sir," squeaked Beast Boy, fidgeting and looking extremely nervous. His lower lip was currently doing that similar pout which sometimes adorned Dick's lips when he wanted something or was in trouble.

Slade felt a pang of pity for the child. He _did_ look very young – and Slade knew he was only thirteen – not to mention, he was even smaller than Dick. And that was saying a lot. The confrontation with Cyborg had made Slade forget a very important fact: these heroes and heroines were just _children_. They were children without parental influence as well.

And no matter how much they tried to endure things on their own, they were truly missing out on having a steady parent in their lives. Slade was aware of Cyborg's circumstances, as well as Beast Boy's old life. He didn't, however, know much about Starfire or Raven – Slade couldn't find information on the alien girl and for some reason, there was simply _nothing_ on Raven. From what Slade could tell, each child had their own difficult home life or broken family.

It was suddenly, at that very moment, that Slade was even more overcome with the knowledge of just how young these kids were. The young changeling that stood before him was certainly dwarfed in size. Those green cheeks still possessed that childlike baby fat. Bright green eyes were large with the same special innocence that could only belong to a child.

At that moment, Slade could see the adult respect inside those green eyes. It was an automatic response there. It was almost unnerving, seeing as Cyborg had had nothing but contempt for Slade. Considering who he was, it was somehow surprising that the boy was showing this level of respect. The child was still nervous around him, but there was something unique to the situation.

Somehow, Slade found himself kneeling down in front of the boy. The boy's height, even with Slade on his knees, was barely a few inches higher. Beast Boy's green eyes widened as he looked down at him. Slade lifted a hand and rested it against the boy's upper arm, gently squeezing the flesh there.

"You don't have to be nervous," said Slade, his voice low and quiet as he spoke. The boy's abnormally long, pointed ears flicked slightly. "This is just a training exercise."

There was a gentle moment of silence as the boy looked down at Slade. His eyes were carefully studying him, as if the boy wasn't quite sure what to make of Slade. Then, finally, the boy spoke, his voice filled with a light awe.

"Robin said you had changed," whispered Beast Boy. "It's really true, isn't it?"

Nothing could've surprised Slade more at that moment. This boy was truly interesting. The boy was right, of course. Slade _had_ changed; grown far more than he could've envisioned and imagined. Here he was in front of this thirteen year old boy – a hero and a member of the Teen Titans – and Slade was preparing to teach and train him.

It was nothing short of the impossible.

Slade let a light smile lift his lips before he gave the boy a pat on the arm. He stood up and found his hand dropping down onto the boy's dark green hair; ruffling the head of hair there with softness that he had developed with Dick.

"Standing before you and about to go through a simple training exercise would not have been possible otherwise."

To say this very green child was exceedingly shocked and blushing the brightest red would've been a sad understatement.

It was fascinating that this child could change into so many colors. As Slade pulled back from the boy, he could see a pleasant expression across his features, as if Beast Boy were becoming comfortable with him. Slade had always known he'd conquer the Teen Titans. He just _never_ imagined it'd be in such a fashion as this.

Such a strange creature, destiny was.

"Slade, can I ask you a question?" asked Beast Boy, his pointed ears perked upwards as a shade of pink blushed over them – matching the fading shade on his cheeks.

Somehow, Slade wondered if any of these children were actually interested in training or were more interested in twenty questions – featuring Slade Wilson, former Deathstroke the Terminator and currently stay at home father.

"Of course," said Slade, a smirk beginning to lift his face. "Although, you just did. I'll you another chance, however."

Beast Boy seemed amused by this and it lightened his mood slightly. His green eyes lifted upward and studied Slade for a minute. Then, the boy spoke up, saying the one thing Slade hadn't been thinking would come from this child – although, honestly, he shouldn't have been surprised.

"Robin says that you, uh… spank him when he's bad," said Beast Boy, slowly speaking as if he were unsure of himself.

Slade's eyebrows bolted upward into his hair line at this statement, surprised that Dick was comfortable with talking about his misdemeanors and the discipline which followed such things. Grant surely hadn't been, barking at any of his siblings who came near him after an incident of correction. Joey had been embarrassed that he got in trouble for anything, hating the fact that he had made a mistake. Finally, Rose was moody for about ten minutes before her attention span switched to the next topic, all previous scolding and teaching evaporated in her mind – she'd been young, after all.

Then, Beast Boy got stronger with his words. "But you don't hit him for every bad thing, right? You're fair with him, _right?_"

The earnest desperation was fully heard through the young boy's voice. He was looking up at Slade with almost pleading eyes. It was then that Slade was thankful. Dick truly did have good friends. Each were worried for him in their own way, it seemed. Cyborg obviously had multiple issues about certain things, but it appeared that Beast Boy was a little more trusting. The boy sensed Dick's feelings, but he was also worried about him.

"First of all, Dick is never _bad_," began Slade, his tone soft. "He might make wrong choices – as we all do – and as a father, it's my job to set him straight; _and_ teach him the things that he should do. That is what being a parent means. I don't _hit_ him. I punish him when the situation calls for it. Better to have a child's consequence to deter him now, than have an adult's consequence that cannot be avoided."

Beast Boy frowned slightly, his facial features scrunching up in confusion. His head tilted to the side.

"Do you come with subtitles, sir?"

Slade let out such an uncontrollable snort that he had to cover it up with a small choking sound; his hand covering over his mouth as he coughed his chortles. _That_ was thoroughly amusing – beyond hilarious, actually. Slade could barely contain himself at the thought. Luckily, the boy hadn't been able to tell that Slade was actually _laughing_ at him. He looked a little worried about Slade's near conniption fit.

Finally, Slade was able to control himself. He let a smirk lift his mouth.

"I'm fair with him. You don't have to worry."

"Oh… Why didn't you say so?"

"I did."

"Oh…" There was another tilt of the head. "Are you sure?"

Well, give the lad some time and there was no doubt that he'd grow into his mind. He had the look of intelligence – it was just buried… underneath _something_.

_Mmm_…

Slade decided right at that moment to double check that Wintergreen didn't put too much tofu into their diet. He was also going to _greatly_ screen the amount of time that Dick spent with video games. Oh, yes. He'd heard the tales of video game wars at the Tower. Limiting it was becoming a necessity – almost a desperate need.

In the next fifteen minutes, Slade tried to instruct the boy. But he quickly found out that Beast Boy was only effective in his animal forms and didn't really know much about hand to hand combat. In fact, much of his form was _worse_ than Terra's – he needed more than just the basics.

The boy would never become an expert in martial arts and it became clear to Slade that it would be better to train him to become better in his offensive animal forms. But he'd certainly do well with the knowledge. Slade supposed he did something right with the boy, because he seemed happy enough as they walked back to the group once Slade deemed them finished.

Dick greeted them with his standard delightful smile. All this nonsense with these kids was worth that smile alone. There wasn't much Slade could do for Dick, he felt. So, anything that brought a smile on his face was something to be pursued.

No matter how much Slade wanted to pull out the fur on his chin in exasperation.

It was decided – soon after, with a bit of heated discussion which finally relented to the girl's exasperation – that Raven would go next. Slade had to wonder if the girl had her own question to ask just like the two boys. As Raven chose a place to train – somewhat nearby to the group, but not in hearing shot – Slade had to assume that this was the case.

Once they stopped, Slade didn't even give the girl a chance to pop him 'the question' – whatever it might've been.

"Let me guess," started Slade, putting up a hand before the girl could open her mouth. "You have something you want to say to me or ask me, am I correct?"

There was a gentle light of amusement that glimmered in the girl's eyes.

"I suppose that means Cyborg and Beast Boy talked with you."

"You could say that," smirked Slade with a single nod. "And if you did, it'd be an understatement."

Raven's lips thinned as the amusement continued to dance in her eyes. She glanced away for a minute, before Slade let out a long sigh.

"I believe none of you are actually interested in doing any training as you are in interrogating me."

"No," said Raven, shaking her head once. "I do have a question, but I don't wish to interrogate you. I understand that you and Robin came to an agreement of sorts – one which none of us can fully comprehend, but I can accept that stranger things have happened before."

There was a moment of silence as Slade studied her. The girls were certainly more mature than the boys – there was no doubt about that. They seemed to bear a wisdom beyond their years – although, Slade hadn't spoken with Starfire yet. There was something childlike about the alien girl, but there was also a deep wisdom. Raven seemed to possess this as well; minus the childlike nature, however.

"But… that is part of my question," whispered Raven, as she continued. "You are not related to Robin by blood and yet… the two of you have reached a bond that's even closer than blood. How is that even possible? Is not the essence of a father based on the bond of blood?"

These children never ceased to amaze and amuse Slade. It seemed that this had become more than just a simple training session. Each child seemed to have their own questions and feelings. Cyborg rejected Slade completely and was angry over Dick's past treatment; Beast Boy had developed some uneasy trust, but still remained worried about his friend's current treatment; while Raven had come to acceptance, but couldn't understand how it came about. Slade couldn't imagine what Starfire's reaction would be to this, but so far she had been the most accepting of them all.

These moments with the Titans were opening Slade's eyes to just how each child was truly amazing and unique in their own way. He couldn't fault any of them for their feelings. Out of all them, Cyborg's reaction to the whole thing was more of how Slade would react if he were in the same situation. The others were more unusual, but also special because of their trust in Dick. Because Dick _said_ everything was all right, it seemed that the younger three of the Titans were inclined to believe and trust what he said.

Truly remarkable children.

"I was a father once before," said Slade, his tone soft as he spoke. "Did Dick mention that ever?" When the girl nodded, Slade smiled sadly. "I'm not sure what he said, but the short version of the story is it was my fault that everything failed with my first family. I can't tell you that blood isn't important, because it is; but I can tell you that what I feel towards Dick is no less than what I felt with the children that came from my blood."

Slade put a hand to his heart and tapped his chest.

"True family resides here. Blood, color, race doesn't matter," whispered Slade. His countenance softened even more. "Dick was the one who showed me that."

Raven's normally expressionless face – that rivaled even Slade's own impassiveness – filled with an intense amount of emotion. Her head ducked slightly, her dark hair falling to hide her features. She wasn't wearing her hood and it felt as if she wished she could be hidden beneath its fabric.

"In some ways," began Slade, his tone becoming louder. He politely ignored her growing emotions. "Your little group of friends have a family bond. I know from personal experience that best friends can become more than just a friend, but can become an irreplaceable family member."

That much was true. Wintergreen had grown to become than just a best friend. He was _family_. There was no blood relation, yet Slade relied greatly on his older friend. In fact, Wintergreen had been the most loyal being inside Slade's entire life. When the one that Slade had felt had been his soul mate left him, Wintergreen had stayed. The old man had accepted him, all his good qualities and all his bad qualities.

Just like Dick had done.

That boy was someone special and a great blessing – there was no doubt about it. Slade couldn't have imagined his life like this before. It had been laughable. Who'd give up the life of an exciting occupation as a mercenary to be a father? Who would think that normal? Normal, in the very least, of giving up a career for a child – the mainstream consensus rejected such a thing.

But after experiencing both sides, Slade couldn't find anything more fulfilling.

"Robin has changed you."

The whispered voice made a statement and not a question. Slade nodded.

"For the better."

"It shows," said Raven, the light in her eyes softening.

Well, when Slade went home, he was going to have some cake. Preferably chocolate and preferably the _entire_ box. He deserved it after today – after all this emotional rollercoaster nonsense. Unfortunately, he'd probably have no time to consume said cake, since he was planning on lecturing Dick for an undecided amount of time. Giving his identity to an unknown _and suspicious_ girl… _Honestly_, what was that foolish boy thinking?

Sadly, Slade had no more time to think of his impending lecture, because he still had three more kids to train with – one of which, included his own kid.

The time he spent with Raven was longer than the others. He discovered that she was somewhat proficient at simple hand to hand combat, but she tended to use her powers more often than not – therefore, missing the opportunities to train those skills further. The key with Raven was to discover the balance from using her magic and embedding it into combat techniques.

Needless to say, Slade had a lot of thinking to do if he wanted to help Dick with his training schedule of the Titans.

By the end, Slade was mentally getting tired dealing with these children – although, Raven wasn't as tasking as the others. His sarcastic brain kept him focused on that chocolate cake waiting for him as the two of them reached the group once more. All that was left for Slade's one on one training was Starfire and Dick.

The homestretch, you could say.

"Wait, before we start," began Slade, after he and Starfire had taken a distance away from the others. He was honestly growing tired of these children and their questions. Best to get it out at the beginning. "Do you have something to ask me?"

Starfire stopped her flight, her feet touching the ground fully. The distance from the others was further than Beast Boy's distance, but closer than Cyborg's out of sight area. Her monochromatic eyes blinked innocently. She tilted her head to the side, giving Slade a strong impression of curious kitten.

_Not another one…_

"No… Should I?"

Slade let out a tired chuckle.

"No, but your other friends seemed to have had them for me," said Slade, swiping a hand over his face to rest it over the patch of fur on his chin. "I just expected that you also had issues with me adopting Dick."

The curious, innocent nature that had filled her exotic features slowly faded away. In its place, there was a strong young woman. The softness emanated from her eyes. She gave him the kindest smile, a facial reaction rarely given to Slade, if he were honest with himself.

"Dick is happy," whispered Starfire, her voice gentle, yet it held such strength. "What more is there for me to question?"

_Yet again_, Slade found himself amazed with this girl. She was unique, with a strength of her own. He knew she had physical strength, being a Tamaran, but somehow she had a large amount of strength in her heart. She was a good girl. Out of all the Titans, Starfire had accepted everything without fail, seeming to have come to an understanding that even Slade and Dick hadn't realized – this much was more than apparent in the way she looked at Slade.

What foresight did this child have?

Of course, if Slade had had any foresight at all, he would've seen just how his adopted son acted around Starfire – perhaps attesting to some future that couldn't have been dreamed possible before. But there was grand future for that family, one where Slade's immortality would never mean being alone. Oh, yes, Slade would _never_ be alone, no matter how much he desired it.

But, of course, this was in the far distance in the span of time.

"You…" Slade trailed off, shaking his head slightly. "You are a remarkable girl."

Oh, the girl blushed. Now _that_ Slade could understand. Holding back the smirk that wished to break free, he fell back into a fighting stance.

"All right, I want you to only use your hand to hand combat knowledge. No flight, no starbolts, no glowing eyes, and do try to keep your inhuman strength down a few notches," said Slade, a drawl beginning to lift his tone. "I'm afraid you probably could break my bones if you landed a decent hit on me and I rather not go through the three minutes of agony of the bones bending."

Thus, that was how Slade learned just how formidable young Starfire was in battle.

ooOOOOOoo

**April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 12:31 pm.**

Dick was waiting again. His nerves were pretty much shot after the few hours of waiting. He'd been so worried that there'd be a big fight between Cyborg and his father, but somehow, they had come back quickly without seeming to have been in one.

But then again, Dick hadn't been able to see the training at all. Slade was good at hiding things. So was Cyborg. A large part of himself wanted to confront both Slade and Cyborg to see what had happened between them.

However, Dick knew that was just opening Pandora's Box. He didn't want trouble. He couldn't bear it if they had really fought with each other. He hated that kind of confrontation. The gentleness inside of Dick's heart was too tender for that kind of stuff – and he would spend too much time brooding and worrying over it. He also felt such hostility was a waste of time. Better to try to get along than burn effort in fighting with one another.

He figured he didn't have to worry too much about the others. Terra, Beast Boy, and Raven all seemed fine after each of their sessions. He knew Starfire would be fine. She was unique like that. But… That still didn't mean he wasn't a ball of nerves sitting on the ledge of rock there. He barely noticed when Terra came to his side and nudged him. Luckily, he didn't end up being startled _too_ much.

"So, I've got a question for you, uh… Dick," said Terra, hesitating over his name. "How come your father's last name is Wilson and yours is Grayson?"

Now this was something Dick could handle.

"Slade is my adoptive father," said Dick with a smile. "I just haven't taken his name. I'm actually still trying to figure that out."

"Oh, I didn't realize…"

"No, it's all right. It's something to notice."

"You must've have known him a long time to be able to call him _Dad_," said Terra, her voice going quiet.

"Nope," said Dick, trying to repress a grin. "I've known him… well, you could say for awhile now, but I've only been his son for two months."

"_Two months?!_" cried Terra, the shock bursting from her voice. "But how could you call him _Dad_ all of the sudden like that. Isn't that…"

She trailed off, beginning to blush at some term she had been about to use, no doubt. Dick chuckled.

"A little weird?" supplied Dick. Terra hesitated, before she gave him a small nod. He shrugged and let a soft smile lift his lips. "John Grayson is Papa and Slade Wilson is Dad; both men my fathers. I feel that Slade deserves the respect as my father. In the end, he just _feels_ like _Dad_. He's different from Papa." Dick paused for a moment, before he looked directly inside Terra's sky blue eyes. He gave her a special smile. "Besides, Papa isn't here any more and I need someone to rely on. I'm sure Papa is happy that I found someone who will look after me."

Terra looked taken aback by this gentle statement. There was silence between them. It was never broken, until Starfire came back to the group with Slade following after her. Dick grinned happily and ran up to meet them. Beast Boy came to Terra's side, hearing the conversation between them. He could see the pure happiness that Dick greeted Slade with – happiness that went beyond what even Starfire seemed capable of. However, interestingly enough, Starfire greeted Dick with the same enthusiasm.

"I never realized that Robin could be so…" began Terra in a whisper, trailing off as she watched father and son interact. It was almost like a delighted puppy beaming up at an older dog – it was just the playful way that Dick smiled, as was the contented, amused expression that filled Slade's face as he humored the boy. There were gentle giggles and laughter as he spoke with Slade and Starfire.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," whispered Beast Boy, taking up the opportunity to speak with Terra. "You never imagined that such happy, carefree person lived inside Robin. We didn't either, until he came back."

"Came back?" asked Terra, looking confused.

Beast Boy tucked in his lower lip. Mmm, he probably shouldn't mention this, but he couldn't stop himself. He was actually speaking complete sentences with Terra! Besides, it wasn't like this was a secret between the Titans.

"Well, actually, Slade's an ex-criminal who kidnapped Robin last September," said Beast Boy, keeping his voice low, so no one heard him speaking – _just in case_. Terra's eyes widened to an intense amount, her thin eyebrows popping into her hair line. "But somehow, everything worked out and everything is fine. I don't know how it happened, but something changed them – Slade included. Now they're father and son, I guess."

Terra seemed at a loss for words. "How is that even…"

"Rob stays at the Tower three nights out of the week or so," continued Beast Boy. "It's like everything has gone back to normal and I think it's great." Beast Boy shrugged. "It's still a little strange, though."

"But… Why would Slade kidnap Robin?" asked Terra, finally articulating her voice; glancing over at Slade with a small amount of uncertain fear.

"Oh, that's because Slade's—"

"Beast Boy, I think it is best that you remain quiet now," interrupted Starfire in her kind voice. Beast Boy jumped from her sudden appearance, thoroughly not expecting her. Somehow, there was something in her tone that made it clear that she wasn't going to let Beast Boy keep talking like he'd been doing so. Beast Boy's ears drooped slightly, his cheeks blushing furiously, but he nodded. He slinked away quietly, coming to Cyborg's side while glancing at Starfire occasionally.

Almost instantly, Terra confronted Starfire.

"How can Dick even bear to be around that guy after being kidnapped by him?" demanded Terra, her voice rising hotly. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! He must be crazy or been brainwashed or–or–or _something_. That isn't normal!"

Starfire didn't say anything in response at first. She watched her friend walk a small distance away from the group with his father. She knew he had certainly become stronger during his seven month absence. But it was more than that. His heart had become stronger. He was different than the Robin she had known. Robin had been a boy of mystery. He had been an excellent leader. He had been driven in his work, many times to detriment. He had been a good friend, a strong friend. But Starfire had always felt a distance from that boy, as if there had been a barrier around his heart.

But Dick…

Dick was so different. He was softer, kinder even. He was a sensitive spirit, avoiding conflict between their friends when possible; and when called upon, a mediator. He had innocence, a light in his eyes that seemed to flow through every part of his soul. He was the same, yet not the same as that old boy who had worn the mask – that boy called Robin. Starfire had always felt drawn to Robin, but ever since he had come back, ever since he had come back as Dick, she had come to feel something a little more.

There was something special about Dick, something that called her heart to be closer to his – something that had been hidden by the mask.

She cared deeply for the gentle, yet powerful boy that was Dick.

A bright smile dominated Dick's face as prepared himself into a stance. A moment passed, as father and son stared each other down – and then, suddenly, the fight began.

It was unlike anything Starfire had ever seen. Instantly, she knew that Slade was a powerful fighter, one that she'd had trouble holding her own against. The man's movements were perfect and graceful, yet there was such power in every single one of them. Not a moment was wasted as he moved against his opponent. The man truly was someone to learn from – that much she had discovered.

What was stunning was the fact that Dick could hold his own against this man.

It was obvious that he had spent much time training against him. He knew the man's movements. The speed of the spar was almost inhuman. Blow after blow was thrown and Dick's nimble body threw curves as he jumped back, utilizing all of his acrobat skills.

Once again, there was an unmistakable sign of pure joy on his face. He was just so _happy_. Sparring with this man seemed as if it were the greatest thing in the universe. Starfire would've been confused by this if Dick hadn't explained some of his feelings. It was true, he viewed this man as a K'Norfka. Even more than that, he viewed this man as his sire, even though they weren't related by blood – no, they were now related through the heart.

"Seven months," whispered Starfire as she continued to watch the spar. "This is how long Dick's absence was from us. Because of his absence, we had to learn to stand without him. We, as a team, greatly relied on Robin's commands and leadership – and we never truly realized this until he was gone. Therefore, we had to become strong without him. Because he was not there."

Starfire tore her gaze from the spar and placed it onto Terra, who was looking at her with struggling sky blue eyes.

"He, too, has become stronger. However, this is not the thing which convinced me that everything is well."

Starfire pointed out to the spar, her finger directly on Dick's movements.

"Can you not see it? Do you see that smile? Robin _never_ smiled like that before the experience. But Dick smiles like that every day. He is joyful about everything now. Such happiness I never saw in Robin. This is what convinced me everything was well – and that Slade was good. Because it is not possible, that if Slade were not good, that he could have brought such a smile to Dick's face."

Starfire gave Terra a smile of her own.

"This much I know."

Terra looked over at Dick, a serious expression across her features. She didn't say anything in answer to Starfire. Silence fell over the two girls; both of them watching the elaborate fight that played out between Dick and Slade. It was soon – too soon, in Starfire's opinion – that their fight ended. She smiled as they walked back to the group together, with Slade ruffling the raven black head of hair.

"Well, what do you think?" asked Dick, his chest breathing deeply from the intense workout; glancing around the group before settling his gaze onto Slade. "Who do you think did the best, Dad?"

Slade raised an eyebrow at the boy. _Who did the best?_ That was asking for trouble, now wasn't it? Cyborg barely did any training. Beast Boy and Terra did pretty good, but that was only the _effort_ they actually put into it. Raven did well, too, but she was still lacking in many areas. All of them, except Terra and Starfire, had only taken the opportunity to talk with Slade. Of course, Dick did exceptional as usual, but that was playing favorites.

That left only one person who didn't irritate Slade whatsoever.

"Starfire."

Dick chuckled, while the rest of the Titans – even Raven – groaned. Beast Boy slapped his hand to his forehead and plopped down onto the ground onto his back. He moaned elaborately as Starfire smiled brightly, looking delighted.

"Awe, man. Did you have to pick Starfire?" complained Beast Boy.

"She did the best," replied Slade, honestly not caring. "Are you suggesting that I don't give her the dues she deserves."

"`Course not! But she'll pick a horrible movie tonight!" cried Beast Boy, flailing in the dirt. Slade looked over at Dick for an explanation. The boy shrugged, grinning slightly.

"Star's preferred entertainment usually has something to do with the microscopic world of fungus."

Slade's eyebrows popped into his hairline. He glanced over at the alien girl, who was still smiling. It was official, that child needed to get out more and see new things. As the group continued to chatter heatedly and excitedly, Slade shook his head. These teens had way too much energy. Time to burn it. Slade smirked, rolling his neck and cracking it.

"All right, children, how about putting those instructions to the test, hm?" Slade withdrew his bō-staff from his pocket, expanding it with a single _click_, and slipped into a fighting stance. "All of you come at me with everything you've got."

Beast Boy popped up from his lying on the ground, folding his legs in front of his body as he looked up at the man in shock.

"But we'll hurt you! You won't survive _all_ of us."

"I must agree," nodded Starfire, looking worried. "I fear we might injure you."

There was a unified snort from Slade and Dick.

"You have a pretty high opinion of your strength," drawled Slade, his smirk widening further.

"You really have _no_ idea what you're getting into," said Dick a second later, shaking his head. The other Titans continued to look uneasy. Slade almost chuckled at the arrogance these children had. This was going to be _highly_ amusing.

"I'll make a prediction, shall I?" said Slade, his smirk widening as the five teens looked between each nervously – Dick merely looked amused with it all. Slade strengthened his stance, preparing for the fight. "I won't even break out into a sweat."

ooOOOOOoo

* * *

**Next Time:** Chapter Seven: Tough Love – Slade isn't pleased that Dick revealed his identity to Terra, resulting in a very long discussion between the two of them and reminding Dick just how much he needs a father in his life.

**Author's Notes:** I remember the days where writing 15k words on a story was astronomical, hitting 35k defied the laws of gravity, and reaching 70k was absolutely unimaginable. That was what happened when I wrote my first original novel. I went back and looked at it. I shouted at a few chapters, telling them that having only 700 words did not make them a chapter. XD

Why am I telling you, my dear readers, this? Because _Into the Depths_ just broke 77k in my document. I was totally like, "Oh… Would you look at that? I didn't even notice…" It's amazing now the level of productivity I've reached since my early days of writing. 50k, 70k, 90k – those seem like such easy numbers now. Maybe because Forgotten Bonds is 275k… I always smile at that – because that's thicker than Harry Potter 5 (256k)! XD

And it seems that this relapse just isn't letting up. I can barely keep up with the writing and it's getting painful. So, I'm going to take a week off and try to catch up on both my health and the writing. I'm sorry for the longer posting wait, but I've got to do it instead of all of the sudden dropping off the face of the earth on ya'll – which is my standard operating procedure. XD

Thanks for reading! Next update will be on **Friday, May 30th**! See ya next time! Reviews = love and ideas! ^.^


	7. Tough Love

**Author's Note:** *huggles her readers* Wow, can everyone still breathe? If you can, then I'm not hugging ya'll properly! LOL! Thank you all for the continual reviews and well wishes and the prayers! I truly appreciate it so much. I certainly missed posting last week. *huggles ya'll again*

First thing's first, I realize that people are hoping for an update on _Warped Identity_, but I'm afraid at this time I just don't have a chapter anywhere near done, nor am I doing well enough at this time to be able to switch mindsets as I had been able to before. Even if I weren't writing this, I'm not sure how well I could update _WI_ – mainly because we're beginning to hit the more tragic parts of the story and I am _not_ in the mood to write that quite yet. (Oh, yes, it's _tragic_; I knew it was coming, but still...) I'm truly sorry. *bows politely*

All right, as I wrote this chapter, it just kept getting bigger and _bigger_. Unlike the previous chapter, however, I saw where I could split it and did so. (LOL, I told you this would happen…) So, I'm afraid that part of the preview blurb from the last chapter was half correct. It's been updated with the change, but also it reappears an the end of this chapter.

The extra week reprieve greatly helped with this chapter and the next. Thus, I'm much happier with them. I could peacefully formulate what I wanted here, as these are _pivotal_ chapters. The previous chapter I seriously wanted to bash my head against the wall. It's a miracle it came through, honestly; and I was surprised by all the things you all pointed out. I literally scratched my head and asked, "How did that happen?" I probably would've noticed it and even fostered more of it if I had extra time, but ah well. We're good. XD

So, here's some 'parental mercenary' from Slade for your enjoyment – my _gosh_, I can't get over how much I _LOVE_ that term; I literally giggled forever when I heard that.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

**Tough Love**

**April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 8:47 pm.**

"_Dude!_" panted Beast Boy incredulously. "Are you even _human?!_"

There was a deep chuckle.

"I certainly appear more human than you, boy," said Slade, his tone dry; nonchalantly brushing invisible dust from his arms. He put his hands onto his hips and looked at the six collapsed teens on the ground. Each appeared thoroughly exhausted from the fight. Slade, on the other hand – true to his prediction – hadn't worked up a sweat.

In a few years time, he knew Dick would become great – not that he wasn't great now. He was getting better, but he wasn't anywhere near Slade's level. One day, that boy would become almost unstoppable. However, at that moment, he had reached the level where he could hold his own against Slade for a few minutes, but his stamina wasn't built enough to Slade's standard – no one was, really. Terra was at a basic level and only a few times did Slade have to avoid getting brained by a boulder. He also noticed that she had trouble fully controlling her powers – something that needed to be worked on _immediately_.

The oldest teen, Cyborg, relied mainly on raw power and not so much technique. Out of all the other Titans, he did have the most experience in hand to hand combat. While he was more bulky, some strict training could make him a powerhouse. The green shrimp, Beast Boy, relied only on his transformations in the fight and that could prove dangerous for a lot of 'two bit' villains, but the boy needed some serious training; whether in one of his preferred animal forms or human form, he _desperately_ needed refinement.

Raven was another one who relied mainly on her power. It had been a bit troublesome in the fight, but in the end, her power wasn't a large threat. The reason for that was she was quite predictable in her use of her powers. If she had combined it with tactics and with some simple training, she could improve immensely. Starfire was one of the biggest threats of the team and could become a huge threat in the right hands. With her sheer power, she kept Slade on his toes to avoid getting any broken bones in the fight, but because of her lack in knowledge of extensive hand to hand combat in Earth terms, she wasn't a threat – _yet_.

All in all, it'd been a decent workout for Slade, while it had been an ego massacre for the Teen Titans.

"Dad's enhanced," said Dick from his spot on the ground, his chest heaving. Sweat beaded his temples. "It'll take more than this to even touch him."

"Spill my secrets, why don't you, boy?" snorted Slade.

"It's really not that hard to figure out, man," said Cyborg, groaning. Slade chuckled at the group. He had to admit, the group did pretty good against him. His mind was already thinking up training schedules for each of them, proving that each of them had what it took to impress him. He smiled lightly as he looked down at Dick.

Who would've thought?

Here Slade was, training the Teen Titans to become better heroes. Just a year ago, he'd been fighting against them – well, more like messing with them. If he'd been _really_ fighting against them, they'd be dead. He had only played with them like a played cat with its prey because he'd been interested in Robin's abilities as an apprentice.

How stunning that so much could change in so little time. Some might think Slade illogical for abandoning a name of power. Some might think Slade crazy for giving up the income of a lifetime. Some might think Slade foolish for throwing away the thrill and adrenaline rush of the job.

Perhaps he was.

Or perhaps he wasn't.

Slade had experience. He'd seen both sides now. There wasn't any doubt in his mind. Being a father for Dick was the most powerful thrill he could ever have. But it wasn't the same 'thrill' or 'adrenaline rush' one would have in the moment of a fight for one's life. It held a softness and gentleness. There was a light that brushed over Slade's heart whenever he saw the boy smile, as if that were the sign that he was doing something _right_ for once in his life.

It was a selfless job. There was no single deed of power in it. No one would fear his name. _Well, a healthy fear of respect, in the boy's case_. There was no paycheck or income. It was simply a daily increment of caring for a needy and delightful child. It wasn't a thankless job, however. The 'payment' Slade received was far superior to any type of worldly currency: _unconditional love from a joyful son_.

It did have its trials and issues. Slade never thought his heart could stop as it had when the boy disappeared for three days without so much as a note or a goodbye. _Really_, what had that naughty little boy been _thinking_ anyway, going into space? There were rarely any disagreements between the two of them, since Dick usually submitted to his will when he knew he should. However, Slade knew Dick was a teenager – albeit, a good and obedient one – but a teenager nonetheless and like any child of that raging hormonal age, he was bound to have fits of moodiness or belligerence.

Overall, Slade found the feelings of fulfillment in his current daily job the most intoxicating and exhilarating he had ever felt in his life. There was just something more now. He didn't need to prove anything to himself any more. He didn't need a chemical rush to feel alive. Thin arms around his waist and the soft, childlike voice – a voice that was slowly beginning to deepen into a man – were all he needed to know that he was truly alive and that he held worth.

All that he had to do was just quietly be there for his boy.

"All right, up you go, brat," said Slade, almost affectionately; lightly nudging Dick's arm with a foot. "You're coming home with me tonight."

"But it's Tuesday," complained Dick, craning his neck backwards to look up at Slade. "We're supposed to have a fun, family movie night."

There was a low mutter from somewhere in the group about fungus not being a family friendly featured film.

"So it is. You're still coming home with me tonight."

"Aww, but, Dad—"

Slade made a warning sound in his throat, causing the boy to snap his mouth shut. Slade wasn't one for extended patience at the moment. He still hadn't forgotten Dick's foolishness about releasing his identity to a stranger. It was one thing to train said stranger for a day, but a whole other thing to unveil your _identity_. Didn't the boy know how many villains in Gotham City would pay a _fortune_ for Batman's identity? This could jeopardize Dick's safety. If word got out, some of the old Bat villains might come to Jump looking for a fight – something Slade was _not_ in the mood for, after all. Not only that, some of the smarter ones might make the connection between Richard Grayson and Bruce Wayne.

Not that Slade cared about that _bat_ at all. It was merely the principle of the matter.

_No_, that wasn't sarcasm, shockingly.

Dick sighed and rolled onto his stomach, looking up at him. His lower lip protruded outward in a childish pout as his crystal blue eyes sparkled innocently – yet there was an endless amount of mischief there.

"I can't get up, though. Too tired."

Slade raised an eyebrow. Long black eyelashes blinked over those glittering blue orbs. They blinked once more. Oh, the little – _perhaps, slightly adorable_ – brat was doing it again. Just like the boy to push his luck. Without another word, Slade bent over and pulled Dick to his feet; tossing the protesting boy over his shoulder to dangle there. There was a cry of shock. Legs began to flail. Slade clamped his arm around the back of the boy's knees while he lifted his other arm into the air with wave, completely ignoring the gaping mouths of the other shocked Titans.

"Get some sleep, kids. You're going to need it."

Slade smirked at their expressions. As he walked away, Dick squirmed uselessly in his hold. Finally, he felt the boy sag for a moment, before waving to his friends.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" cried Dick.

After that, the boy continued to twist in the iron hold that he was locked within. Slade had no intention of letting the boy go, but the protests became more insistent.

"Dad! Lemme down—the blood is rushing to my head!"

Slade chuckled, feeling the small boy wriggle, writhe, and struggle to get out of his arms. But, of course, Slade was more powerful; not to mention, he didn't actually _want_ to let the boy go. There was always a different solution to this problem, though.

"Put your arms around my neck."

"I have no more strength in my stomach muscles after all that training!" protested Dick.

There was a low chuckle.

"Just do it, boy."

There was a tired sigh, but the boy complied. When Slade felt those thin arms wrap around the front of his neck, he let the boy go; causing him to swing around the back. Slade expertly grabbed the boy's legs on either side of himself and hoisted the boy up. Dick's arms tightened around his neck and Slade felt his face nestle inside the nape there.

"Better?"

"Much," murmured Dick, snuggling closer. He heard the boy draw in a deep breath. There was a moment of silence as he exhaled before he spoke up again. "But you could've warned me you were gonna give me a piggyback."

Slade snorted.

"I'm _carrying_ you. Never piggyback. I'm not a horse nor a pig."

Dick let out a mischievous giggle.

"Giddy up, Cowboy."

Somehow, the man managed to let go and give Dick a firm, yet playful swat on the seat, before returning to his hold; hoisting Dick up once more.

"Brat."

Dick giggled again, tightening his arms around the man's neck. He breathed in deeply, letting the faint scent of his father's cologne waft over him in a comforting wave. It had faded with the day, but it was still there. Even when faint, Dick could still recognize the fragrance. He loved it. Was it strange that he loved it? Naw, of course, not. He loved _everything_ about this man that was gently carrying him home.

He was thankful for Slade's sacrifice today. The man hadn't been required to come spend a day training the Titans. Yet, he did anyway. Yes, Slade was retired now. But that certainly didn't mean he had to train a bunch of kids – especially when some of those kids didn't even like him or were suspicious of him.

And yet, the man came and spent the _entire_ day with them – with a bunch of teens. Slade could've spent the day with someone else his age; heck, he could've even gotten himself a date. The man was handsome enough to get a good woman if he wanted.

Although, the thought of Slade dating made Dick's stomach turn slightly. Whether it was an uncomfortable thought, or a worry of being forgotten, or even just plain jealousy of anyone taking the man's attention away, Dick wasn't sure. He'd been jealous and worried before when he thought Slade was going to replace him as his apprentice with his biological daughter, so Dick wasn't arrogant enough to rule out that possibility.

However, even through the twinge of possible jealousy, a part of Dick hoped that Slade would find someone that could become his second half. He didn't believe Slade's ex-wife would ever come back to him, even with his retirement. There seemed to be too much bottled hate and anger in her heart – at least from the few moments that Dick caught a glimpse of her. Slade had brought such happiness to his young life, just from being his father, that Dick hoped the man could obtain a little happiness in return.

Because Dick loved this man. How funny was that? He went from hating him to loving him in a short amount of time. The human heart was an amazing thing, wasn't it? Dick wouldn't have it any other way. He was bonded to the man – this man that was a father to him. He very much appreciated him.

Of course, Dick's heart was still that of a child's – though, there was no way he'd admit it. As with any child, he was bound to make mistakes. Hopefully, he wouldn't make too many of them, but there was one thing he knew, his father was going have a long talk with him tonight. He truly hoped it wouldn't end up being a painful one for his hide, though.

"I'm still furious with you," said Slade, after a few quiet minutes – but, contrary to those words, there was not a drop of anger in them. Dick smiled lightly, knowing full well that the man wasn't saying the exact truth.

"No, you're not," said Dick, his voice soft.

"Aren't I?"

"Nope."

There was a gentle snort.

"You know you're in for a long lecture, do you not?"

"Pretty much, but I know you're not angry with me any more."

"Oh?"

"You love me too much to stay mad at me forever," whispered Dick, nestling his face deeper into the back of the man's neck. His eyes slipped closed; his breathing deepened. The rhythm of the man's steps was melodic to his exhausted mind and body. He was safe inside his father's arms; therefore, it was too easy to allowed himself to rest. His mind vaguely heard a small chuckle, before a gentle word lifted into the air.

"_Imp_."

The boy's breathing was soft against Slade's skin. He could feel Dick's arms slackening around his neck. Slade could only smile as he carried the boy down the pathway. The night had fallen considerably; the sky darkened with the sign of dusk. The ocean waters were gentle as they washed against the edges of the island. Slade boarded the boat with ease, careful not to jostle the boy awake. He carried him down below deck and placed him on the bed that resided there.

The boy barely turned in his sleep. The little imp must've really exhausted himself today.

Dick slept through the entire boat ride and even the car ride back to the haunt – didn't wake once as Slade picked him up again. The car ride was peaceful; traffic was a minimum this night. Once Slade parked the car in the garage next to the empty warehouse, he turned off the ignition and unbuckled his seatbelt. Then, he looked over at Dick. The boy was still sleeping soundly. He was curled slightly onto his side, his chest lifting slowly in his deep sleep.

Slade reached out and gently carded his fingers through the raven black hair. The boy didn't move as he continued to sleep.

Slade truly didn't want to wake the child. They both had a long day – though, it'd been more trying on Dick's body. The boy was exhausted. He probably wouldn't be able to listen too well anyway to what Slade would say. But he couldn't let this go and he certainly didn't want to lecture the boy at the start of a new day. It would only dampen Dick's spirits – especially if Slade decided a round of discipline was needed to deter the boy from making such a poor decision again.

That was simply _not_ the way to start a new day.

_Tough love_.

That was how the term went, didn't it?

Slade was going to have to apply that now, wasn't he? He wasn't a stranger to it. When he'd been involved with his other children's lives, he had been strict with them – loving in his own way, of course. But he didn't allow them to do foolish things. There was just no way he'd allow that. They were his children – there was no need to make certain mistakes while their parents were around. However, Joey hadn't been one for that and Rose had been too young to even comprehend the fact beyond that of a little child.

No, it had been Grant that had been the reckless one. He'd been the teenager, after all. He had been just like Slade in that manner – almost a carbon copy sometimes. If Slade had known what was to occur, he would've stopped that boy in his tracks. It was true, he had wanted an apprentice and had hoped that Grant would be the one to fill those shoes, but Slade certainly hadn't wanted the boy to start going out on contracts at such a young age.

But Slade hadn't fully trained the recklessness out of Grant. In some way, he had allowed some of it, because it had reminded him of his days as a young man. Had he indulged the boy? Not quite. He had still required perfect obedience and perfect respect. Nothing less was accepted. But had he permitted the reckless behavior?

Just a bit.

Slade couldn't do that again; he couldn't make the same mistake twice. Look where it had led – the boy was _dead_; his first born son was _dead_. He wasn't coming back. Slade couldn't allow that to happen to Dick – _he just couldn't_. He couldn't bear to lose Dick. No matter how unpleasant, Slade would have to apply some tough love here – because he _loved_ this boy and he wanted to see Dick to adulthood. How far he'd have to go with the tough love remained to be seen, however.

Slade honestly didn't want to end the day with punishing Dick, not after such a good day. Dick had been so happy. Sometimes being a father wasn't enjoyable, nor easy, nor fun – at least in a case like this. Slade truly hoped that the boy had enough common sense to have a good attitude through the impending lecture – for his hide's sake, in the very least.

With a tired, resigned sigh, Slade gently patted the boy on the cheek.

"Dick, we're home now. Wake up."

Long, black eyelashes slowly fluttered open, revealing a pair of very sleepy eyes. The boy yawned deeply, twisting in his seat to sit up. He stretched somewhat, his arms halfway clenched at his sides as his stomach arched. Once he was done, he glanced around the car dazedly, before looking up at Slade.

"Where…?"

"We're home," supplied Slade. "Can you walk?"

"Mm, I'suppose so," murmured Dick, his words slurring together slightly.

With another sigh, Slade got out of the car, careful not to slam the door too hard. He went around the car to Dick's side and opened the door. The boy was still looking tiredly at the dashboard. Slade bent down and unbuckled the seatbelt; easily scooping the sleepy boy into his arms. Dick didn't protest and rested his head against the chest provided there, causing Slade to smile lightly.

Yes, this was going to be difficult.

Slade closed the car door with his foot and walked to the entrance that resided in the abandoned warehouse. With yet even more carefulness, Slade managed the bundle of boy in his arms as he put in the code. The door slid open as the orange light clicked into response. He walked into the main room; hearing the creaking gears above.

A moment later, he was opening the door of the kitchen and setting the half asleep Dick into a chair at the table. Wintergreen was also at the table, reading a book – as usual – when he gave them a warm, welcoming smile.

"You two are pretty late," said Wintergreen, standing up. "I can warm up some dinner, if you're hungry."

Slade only smiled as he sat down at the table; sighing deeply as his body settled into the chair. He shook his head.

"The children wanted pizza. I believe the only thing Cyborg and I agreed on during the entire day was – and I quote – 'the all meat experience'."

Wintergreen chuckled, giving Slade a knowing smile.

"It seems you had quite the eventful day."

"Quite," said Slade with drawling ruefulness. There was another aged chuckle, then Wintergreen glanced over at Dick. The boy was half asleep, his head bobbing up and down as he blacked out every few moments; only to pop his head back up and blink with bleary eyes, before restarting the procedure again.

"Shouldn't Richard be in bed?" asked Wintergreen, eyeing the boy with a fond expression as the boy began to droop back down.

"Yes, but I'm afraid something has to be addressed first," said Slade, feeling weary about the impending lecture he had to impart and further on, the possible discipline he would have to apply should the boy be difficult about it. "He did something dangerously stupid today and I have to talk to him about it."

"Oh, Slade, are you sure it isn't best to leave that for tomorrow?" asked Wintergreen, looking over at Dick with a worried glance. The boy was at the blinking with bleary eyes stage at that moment.

"It must be tonight," said Slade with a shake of his head. "It cannot wait until morning."

"But…"

Slade looked at him; a soft, tired expression filling his features.

"Will, _please_."

That was all that was needed for the old man to relent. He rarely intervened with Slade's parenting – only to push in the right direction when it was needed. It was obvious that Slade was taking the moment seriously. Wintergreen nodded, giving the boy one more sad, almost pitying glance. Then, after a moment, the old man gave Slade an encouraging squeeze on the shoulder, before leaving the room without another word.

Yes, it wasn't going to be easy, but the boy needed to learn never to do this again – even if it meant forgoing needed sleep. Being a parent wasn't easy. This much Slade knew perfectly well. He wanted to do what was best for Dick in the long run. Best to keep him alive, than let things slide. This boy still had a long life ahead of him, and Slade was bound and determined to see the imp through it.

_No matter what_.

Thus, Dick didn't fully understand what was happening around him. He was vaguely aware of voices around him. He was so _tired_. He just wanted to sleep. Why wasn't he asleep again? His senses slowly began to awaken as he realized something in his stupor. His father had been planning on talking to him. The man was going to lecture him about something.

What was that something?

Oh, yeah. He gave away his identity. That was serious. Very serious. But he trusted Terra for some reason. What was the reason? Oh, yeah. She had a good heart. That was good, right? No harm done.

_Yeah_, he was really tired.

Something cold touched Dick's cheek, making him snap his eyes open in surprise. The chilled nature of the object brought more wakefulness to his person. He glanced upward to see that Slade was smirking at him, tapping his cheek once more with that cold thing. Dick pulled back to see it that was a lemon ice pop. He took it slowly, while giving the man a confused look.

"I thought I was in trouble."

"Oh, you are," said Slade with a chuckle. "No mistaking that, boy. But you look like you're about to fall over and I rather you conscious when I lecture you."

Dick smiled, unwrapped the treat, and gave the ice pop one, good lick by sliding the entire thing into his mouth; letting the tart, yet sweet flavor flow over his tongue. His mind slowly began to work in its normal order. He was still extremely tired, but he was beginning to function better from the sugar and tartness. Besides, if Slade was giving him a treat that had to mean he wasn't in _that_ much trouble. He continued to eat his sweet as he glanced down at the kitchen floor. He wasn't looking forward to this conversation. Slade was going to scold and reprimand him, no doubt about that. Whether or not his hide made it out alive was a whole other thing to worry about as well.

They weren't in his bedroom, so that had to mean that _maybe_ Slade wouldn't wallop him over this. But that certainly didn't mean that the man wouldn't 'move' the conversation when he was done with his lecture.

Hopefully, Slade would warn him…

_Ugh_, the uncertainly was going to kill Dick.

"Dad, are you gonna… _you know…?_" Dick trailed off and gave Slade that questioning look, unable to contain the squirm in his seat. The man snorted, chuckling deeply.

"Maybe I won't tell you and let you worry about it, hm?"

Somehow, this man _always_ knew what Dick was thinking.

"Awe, but that's torture, you know."

"I am well versed in such things and I assure you, this is far from 'torture', you silly child."

"But still…"

Slade sighed deeply, rubbing a hand over his face. Then, he gave Dick a serious look, but there was a gentleness inside of it.

"Dick, you do realize _why_ you would be in trouble over this, don't you?" asked Slade, his tone sounding tired. There was an entreating nature to his voice as he continued to speak. "This isn't an infraction of obedience, nor is it an act of disrespect. I'm talking about you not putting thought into your safety. You hoarded your identity last year. There was a reason for it, was there not? It was for your _safety_, not just your preference. There's a reason for the masks, which you know all too well. What I can't understand is why you so easily disregarded this, when in the past you _knew_ this."

"It wasn't that I was being careless, Dad," said Dick, unaware of how dismissive he sounded. "I knew what I was doing—"

The gentle expression that had been inside the man's features faded away immediately. Anger flashed in Slade's eye and he slammed his hand onto the table, causing Dick to stop midsentence and flinch back. The man pointed a sharp finger at him.

"You do _not_ know what you're doing!" snapped Slade, all previous softness in his tone vanishing in an instant. "You better cut that attitude that's slipping into your tone if you want to get through this conversation unscathed."

Dick gulped and nodded, looking down at the floor. There was an exasperated huff through the nostrils.

"Tell me, as much as I _loath_ to bring him up, but what would that _bat_ say to something like this, hm?" Dick glanced up, his lower lip slowly tucking in beneath his teeth somewhat. "Isn't Bruce Wayne a hoarder of his identity as well? Didn't he drill such a concept into your head? Why are you acting as this is a new concept?"

"I'm not…" whispered Dick weakly.

"Yes, you are. You cannot give me a good answer as to why you divulged your identity so easily. Listen to me—_Look at me_ when I'm speaking to you." Dick's head popped back upward as the man's tone turned sharper – since he had been ducking his head yet again as the man continued speaking. Slade leaned closer and clasped a hand on Dick's chin. A terrible light entered his visible grey blue eye. "Men _kill_ for the identity of their enemy—"

"I know that!"

The hand on Dick's chin tightened.

"_Do not interrupt me_," hissed Slade, his eye widening in warning. "If you know that, then you would have acted accordingly. Knowledge of a hero's true identity – or a villain's, for that matter – is _power_. Grant is _dead_ because of that knowledge." Pain flooded through Dick's entire chest at that. "The boy bragged about being the son of Deathstroke. Perhaps he even mentioned more, since they went after the rest of the family. If your enemies know who _you_ are, then they can go after your loved ones. They can get you when your guard is down; they can get you where it hurts the most. _This isn't a game!_ If you want to continue to be a hero, if you want _my_ allowance on this – because, trust me, I will revoke the right if you do not obey this – then, you better _think_ about the ramifications that might occur from allowing just _one_ person to know who you are."

The hand withdrew from Dick's chin, leaving the flesh there feeling cold from its removal. Slade leaned back in his chair as he continued to eye Dick sternly.

"I'm not telling you these things to be mean. Although I honestly don't care about your personal feelings on this matter. The only thing I care about is the fact that you learn from this and avoid making such a risky choice in the future."

Dick swallowed, nodding once; the ice of his popsicle melting, so that it slid down the stick onto his fingers. He wanted to lick it away, but he didn't think that was a good idea. He glanced down at the tiled floor, his stomach flopping nervously. He wasn't sure what to say now.

"Are you gonna… wallop me for this?"

Slade growled lightly, slapping his hand again onto the surface of the table loudly and causing Dick's head to snap up in a flinch.

"Blast it, Dick, I should! I really should, since that's all you're thinking about it through this. You're not even hearing me. I ought to spank you—_yes,_ _spank you_—" Slade sharply reiterated the term at Dick's wince. "—like the petulant child you're being right now. Your flagrant attitude about this is pushing me to the edge. You have yet to offer me anything that sounds like possible remorse or repentance – forget humility – and at this point, you still might not be off the hook."

Slade let out an annoyed huff and folded his arms, staring at Dick with a severe expression. Dick placed the melting popsicle onto its wrapping, his appetite gone. He grabbed a napkin from the table and wiped his hands, clasping them inside his lap once they were clean; staring down at them as they twisted themselves there.

"I only wanted to extend an offer of trust with Terra," whispered Dick, a lump beginning to form inside his throat. "I know you're mad. But I really didn't feel that Terra was untrustworthy. I just felt that she needed something that would give her the nudge to open up. I wasn't doing it to be risky or anything. I wasn't trying to be careless. I'm sorry, Dad. Really I am."

Slade sighed angrily, unfolding his arms and resting his chin in one of his hands to look away, while his fingers drummed on the table.

"I don't know what to do with you," whispered Slade, almost as if he were speaking to himself. "Your intent, as you say, wasn't trying to be careless, but nonetheless you were." Slade placed his face into his hand, shaking it lightly. Dick heard a whisper, one that was faint, "_What am I to do with you, you foolish child?_"

Dick swallowed once. "Don't you think…" he began, before he could stop himself, "…that maybe I'm a little too old to be… uh, to be spanked? I mean, I'm fifteen, that's a little too old for a kid's punishment. I, uh… um, don't you think?"

Slade froze.

There was a long moment where the man didn't move at all. Dick suddenly wished he hadn't opened his mouth about this – especially in the moment. He should've waited when the man _wasn't_ angry at him. Slade lifted his face to stare at Dick, amused fury whirling inside his grey blue eye.

"_A little too old?_" repeated Slade, his low voice slow and deliberate. "For a kid's punishment? Excuse me, but I don't see anyone else in this room who _isn't_ a kid – discounting myself, of course. If you're not a kid, then what, _exactly_, are you? A teen? A teen is the same as a kid or a child. There's no difference here. Don't you dare think there is. Until you can act and think like a competent adult – one I don't have to fear for, one that maintains control over himself – then, you are _child_. Age doesn't matter. Children are guided, instructed, loved, cared for, and disciplined. You are at this stage in your life.

"But—"

"Grant was fourteen when he disobeyed me for the last time – before his death, obviously," said Slade, changing subject abruptly. His tone was still sharp, but emotion began to seep through it. "I caught him sneaking out in the middle of the night to go to a high school party that I had _specifically_ told him he could not go to – where I knew would have nothing but bad influences for him at such a young age. He knew not to go, yet he attempted to do so; knowing full well what would happen if he were caught."

Slade gave Dick a slightly amused, yet bitter look.

"He went to bed with a smarting backside, that's for sure. His age had nothing to do with it and I assure you that if he had come back alive the same thing would've happened."

Then, Slade sighed, sounding far older than he actually was. Dick's eyes began to burn. He had to swallow back the lump before it built even more.

"I treat you like you're my own, like you're truly my blood son. It seems that, in a way, I've been treating you like my own long before you even signed those papers."

Dick's lips trembled as he tried not to cry. Hearing the man say that was more than he could bear and he had to avert his gaze. To hear the man admit to something like that was striking to Dick's heart in the most touching way possible.

"But it seems that you've forgotten the purpose of those papers, the purpose of an adoption."

Surprised and caught off guard, Dick looked up at the man.

"What do you mean?"

"You've forgotten what it means to be a son again," said Slade softly. At the sight of shock and indignation on Dick's face, the man put up a hand. "Don't misunderstand me. It's normal. You're being chastised right now for a foolish mistake. It's not pleasant for you. It's uncomfortable. You're a teenager who goes off protecting the city like an adult. It causes you to forget that you're called to follow certain guidelines that are set for you. Signing those papers meant that you agreed to someone putting restrictions over you."

It reminded Dick of what he had thought the previous night. He wanted this. He wanted someone looking out for him. He wanted someone to protect him. He wanted someone to worry about him. _But_ he didn't want to be scolded and he certainly did _not_ want to be punished, one way or another. Who did?

And then, conflicting feelings of the highest level caused his heart to accept those things as well. By accepting the stern censure that the man was laying on him at the moment meant that Slade truly cared for him. He was loved and protected. Someone was affected by his choices, whether good or ill – he wasn't alone any more.

No matter how much he really disliked being subjected to Slade's severe and strict discipline, he knew that if the man didn't do that, Dick would eventually feel like Slade didn't care about him any more. This less pleasant side of having a father was needed just as much as the soft, comforting side. He needed both to complete the vision of father.

Ugh, sometimes Dick really hated his analytical and logical brain.

"On top of all this," continued Slade, his voice rising. "You refuse to come to me when something's been bothering you for so long. Last night, you told me that you've been having this same nightmare for a whole week. When I asked you yesterday morning why you were up early, you _lied_ to me when you told it wasn't a big deal."

"Wait, I didn't lie!" cried Dick, horror pouring through him at the thought. Just what he needed; _more trouble_.

"Telling me something isn't a big deal when clearly it _is_ very much a big deal is a _lie_," snapped Slade sternly. "I am to be the judge if something is a big deal or not. These nightmares are infringing on your sleep, which will in turn affect your health. Your judgment here isn't developed enough to take your own needs in consideration. This is why I'm here. Is not it?"

"Yes, sir, I understand. But I wasn't lying," insisted Dick. "Honestly, I wasn't trying to. _Please_, believe me." Honestly, last thing he needed was yet another misdeed to nail down his coffin. He truly hadn't been trying to lie to the man. "I just… I just didn't want you to worry, all right?"

The man's expression softened.

"I understand you weren't trying to lie – something you sure better _not_ do with me or you _will greatly regret_ it – and I understand you are always thoughtful of others before yourself. But there's something you're forgetting once again." Slade leaned forward and pressed a gentle finger against Dick's chest. "_You_ are my sole priority. My only job is _you_. If you need to take up all my time, then so be it. I've resolved myself to this responsibility. I want to do it. I _want_ you to take my time. But don't cause me additional and unnecessary worry by trying to keep things to yourself. That'll only make me _more_ concerned. It's my _job_ to be worried over you. What did you think my retiring meant?"

Dick found his voice locked and unable to respond to that. He felt touched that Slade was so devoted to being a father now. He didn't have to be, but he _wanted_ to be. Dick wasn't his biological son; therefore, this was all voluntary. It caused emotion to build up inside Dick's chest and thus, he found that he couldn't speak. So, he stuck with the tried and true method – he shrugged lightly.

"Shrugging isn't an answer, Dick," chided Slade, yet his tone was still soft. "You know that and you know the right answer. Tell me."

Dick looked away, trying to figure out how he was going to speak with the growing lump in his throat. A hand reached out and clasped his chin gently, slowly forcing his gaze to look back at Slade. His eyes glanced downward to avoid that piercing grey blue eye – no matter how soft the light was inside there.

But Slade didn't say anything. He just held Dick's chin with a soft, warm pressure from his large hand. He didn't require Dick's eyesight, for which he was grateful. Dick found himself drawing on the warmth and comfort from the hand that was gently holding him. After a moment, he finally was able to speak.

"To raise me…" whispered Dick, feeling shy as he said that. "You retired for me, to spend time with me, because… because you love me."

The hand on Dick's chin squeezed tenderly.

"_Exactly_," responded Slade, his voice in a perfect whisper. Dick's eyes managed to look back at the man. There was such a gentleness there that it almost unraveled him. "Don't you forget that."

Dick nodded as the hand withdrew. He found himself looking down at the floor yet once again. There was glow inside his chest at the moment. He didn't like making mistakes and he wondered if he truly had made such a grievous one with Terra. He understood his father's stance on it and he agreed; Slade was right. He'd been too careless without even realizing it.

If he'd known the outcome, would he have done the same thing? Would he have risked his father's anger on this to try to gain Terra's trust? It was very possible. If, in the end, everything worked out, then he probably wouldn't stop himself from revealing his identity to Terra.

But would he do it again with another person?

No, he would not. Dick wanted to obey Slade, not only because the man was correct, but because he didn't want the man to be unhappy with him. He wanted to please Slade – because he respected him, because he loved him.

He couldn't bear it if Slade were disappointed in him. He wanted to do all he could to please this man, to listen to him, to obey him – to demonstrate that he respected Slade enough to comply with his wishes.

Unfortunately, even with the truest intentions, one's actions sometimes contradicted such things – as Dick would prove all too soon.

* * *

**Next Time:** Chapter Eight: Sustaining Charity – At Slade's insistence, Dick reveals part of his nightmare to him; however, he also falls into a deadly trap of his own creation – a web of dishonesty. Even with such a grievous, yet hidden sin after great leniency, Dick experiences his father's love at its purest. And all the while, Slade remembers some of the harsh history that is etched into his son's skin.

**Author's Notes:** You know, two months ago, I actually recorded the first chapter of _Forgotten Bonds_. It took me about 2 hours to read 40mins of material. (You have to love my slurring of 'darkness' with 'darknesh' – yeah, not fixing it. XD) It took me a further 2 hours to edit my nonsense through it. I spent like 15mins trying to figure out how to pronounce ajna chakra. Come to find out, I hadn't paused the recorder. There's this moment of, "Wait, what, THIS IS STILL RECORDING?!" I think my bloopers would be funnier than the actual story. XD

I haven't done a second recording, since all writing takes precedent of that project. But it's one of those nice, wishing goals for the future. :P I probably wouldn't be able to get through the 'Torture Device' chapter without a bucket load of laughter and giggling. And then, I start laughing again because I'm so highly amused with myself.

*starts laughing again*

So, this week was parental (mercenary) Slade. Next week, FLUFF. :)

Thanks for reading! Next update will be on Friday! See ya next time! Reviews = love and ideas! ^.^


	8. Sustaining Charity

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much for all the reviews and awesome support! I'm truly honored that this story is something to look forward for you all. I must admit, I am the same. :) Thank you all very much for reading and leaving your thoughts. *huggles*

Also, I'll need to take another week off. *sighs* This will probably happen more often than not. =/ So, the next posting will be on June 20th.

*scratches head* I have no idea if me butchering a fight between the entire Teen Titans and Slade would be a 'good read'. XD Writing that sounds like a logistical nightmare. Probably why it never even crossed my mind to write it. Luckily, though, I'm sure when the world actually ends, there will be fights…

_A lot of `em_.

HAHA, Dickie doesn't always have good timing, does he? XD Silly child… It just gets worse; trust me. And so, we had our 'parental mercenary' from Slade in the previous chapter. Now here's some fun fluff. :)

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**Sustaining Charity**

**April 28th, 2009. Tuesday, 9:51 pm.**

"Very well, then," said Slade, after a moment of silence. "I believe the lecture is over. Come to me."

Dick's eyes widened, the panic rising inside his chest. There was no escaping this, was there, then? Was the man really going to punish him here in the kitchen? He didn't usually. Dick seriously hoped that the old man wouldn't choose this time to walk down the hallway at that moment if Slade chose differently. Awkward and embarrassing much? _Heck, yeah_.

However, it was even more than that… Dick didn't want the old man to know he had messed up.

But Dick's fears were unfounded, he realized, as he looked up at the man. There was a soft expression across Slade's young, yet masculine features. Even though Slade was fifty-four or so, the man didn't look a day over thirty. There was such a gentleness in Slade's face at that moment – an almost soft benevolence across those features. His arms were out to the side, his hands out in a beckoning stance.

Dick launched himself into the man's open arms, throwing his own around the neck provided. He buried his face in the nape there, just as he felt those strong arms encompass around him and give him a powerful hug. The faded scent of that rustic, musky cologne softly wafted over Dick's senses. He had grown to love this scent – this scent that reminded him of the powerful man that had become a father to him.

"_I love you, you silly child_," whispered Slade. "You know that by now, don't you?"

Dick nodded inside the man's neck, not trusting his voice. The soft whisper of that smooth, gentle tone continued.

"Then, you understand why I'm saying all this, right?"

There was another nod. The voice that spoke dropped to an even lower whisper.

"_I don't want to lose you_."

The emotions inside Dick's heart were overflowing now. He sniffled once as he tried to control them. He understood that fear. He didn't have to worry any more, since Slade was immortal by some crazy fluke in life. But Slade did have to worry about it in Dick's case. In some ways, it wasn't fair to the man. There was no reason why he had to feel that fear, but unfortunately that was just a fact.

Dick's life was fragile and ever so precious – he had been affirmed in this fact by two very special adults in his life. His life needed to be guarded and protected. How easily it could be snuffed out, like the lingering smoke of a candlestick.

As Dick stayed snuggled inside the man's arms, there was a moment where he felt the man lift one his arms from the hug. Automatically, Dick waited for what he was sure to follow. He had figured it was coming – _worried_ about it, too – since the beginning of lecture.

"Which is why…"

There was a deep sigh as the man trailed off. Dick tightened his arms around the man's neck, staying comfortably inside the embrace. He wondered if Slade would give him a few swats – for something this big, Dick honestly expected such a reprimand. However, there was a long moment of simply nothing.

Dick became confused. Why was Slade hesitating? He knew what to expect from this man who required nothing but absolute obedience and respect – something Dick truly believed the man deserved, even though he didn't always obey perfectly. He messed up sometimes, as any child would. But this had been established for months, even before the adoption. It was this constancy that Dick found trust and peace; he knew exactly where he stood with the man and he _needed_ that. Even when he didn't exactly like it, he knew that he needed the trust and emotional security that such stability provided – he had actually pushed Slade to the edge to _test_ that stability.

He needed it.

But no such reprimand came.

The same hand that sometimes met out sharp reproof was simply patting him gently on the back, bringing with it a special warmth. There was a soft moment until Slade let out another tired sigh.

"_Oh, dear_. Why I'm being lenient with you, I have no idea," murmured Slade so quietly, it was as if he were speaking to himself. Dick blinked, surprised. He pulled back in the man's arms, his hands resting on those powerful shoulders, and looked directly into that grey blue eye; seeking answers there. Slade returned the gaze; his eye glimmered once with an emotional light.

"You're not gonna swat me, even once? Even when I deserve it?" asked Dick, whispering softly. "You usually do."

It was beginning to happen more and more. Dick was watching Slade evolve into a better man, a kinder man, a softer man – so different from the man that had slipped into the Tower like a shadow and had stolen him away. Such soft tenderness, such gentle affection, such sweet fondness were in this man's eye as he regarded the childlike, pleading gaze that came from Dick.

The man's hands lifted up and encased Dick's cheeks; warmth flooded the skin there. Slade leaned a little closer, their foreheads nearly touching as he squeezed the flesh in his hands reverently.

"No, I'm not going to swat you, child. Just… please don't make the same poor choice concerning your identity again," whispered Slade, his tone matching the same softness that his actions were demonstrating. Then, his voice softened even more, an almost pleading pull flowing there, "And please don't hide things from me any more, especially when it concerns your physical and mental health. Will you promise me this?"

Dick meekly nodded in the man's hands, wanting to please him. There was a gentle, approving smile. Dick's heart glowed intensely. Almost immediately, he collapsed into another embrace, throwing his arms around the man's neck once more; his heart expanding with the deep love and appreciation that he felt for Slade.

Dick wasn't perfect. He made mistakes – stupid ones, even – and he made them all the time. He knew this and admitted it. When he'd been only _Robin_, he hadn't truly and fully realized this fact. It wasn't until he had created Red X and the events which followed that he realized just how much he could make such stupid and horrible mistakes.

The single consequence for that one action had been monumental. It hadn't been a consequence of mere parental admonishment. It had been so much more. At first, it had been terrible. But, hidden in the uncomfortable consequence of his poor choice came an undeniably special blessing. Dick knew and understood that not all choices resulted in something like this.

Thus, he was proud to be Slade's son, because somehow, he knew that the man would keep him straight. Slade would never allow him to make certain mistakes – no doubt, Dick would never make a mistake like Red X again, with or without Slade's interference. Despite the errors that Slade had made in his own life, Dick trusted the man to protect and guide him aright.

It was in this very moment, Dick could feel the man's deep love for him. He could feel Slade's reluctance in giving him a sharp punishment. He could feel the man's plea that Dick listen and obey, so that he wouldn't have to discipline Dick severely. A parent never wanted to punish their child. It wasn't fun. It was _difficult_. There was nothing enjoyable about that side of being a parent.

And Dick could feel that – he could feel that Slade had reached this level of love for him. In all sense of the word, Slade had become Dick's parent – his father, even going beyond the bonds of blood.

_They had come so far – leagues in the distance of the soul._

Two different people – two _very_ different people brought together in the most unimaginable way. It even went far deeper than one could truly understand. It gloried the capacity of the heart, showing love at its most innocent, at its most pristine, even to the point of touching the divine possibility that resided within the heart – a love, a charity which culminated in the very purest of all the emotions that existed in the world.

_A true family bond – a true Father and Son bond, never to be forgotten_.

That was how sacred the heart was; that was how sacred love was between two people – no matter the origins, no matter the whispers of the world. Love had found its way into their hearts and would remain so – _it would never fade away_.

There was a light chuckle. It rumbled through Slade's body and flowed into Dick's as he stayed connected to the man through the warm hug.

"Maybe I've finally gone soft."

"Soft is good," whispered Dick, snuggling a little deeper into the man's hold. Soft was _definitely_ good. Soft was _amazing_. To put 'soft' and 'Slade' in the same context months ago would've been laughable. Now, Dick couldn't see the man in any other light. There was another chuckle and a firmer pat on the back.

"Is that right?"

"Mmhmm," murmured Dick with a nod. Somehow, he wormed his way onto the man's lap without ever removing his arms. There was another tremor of chuckling that flowed over him, and then a firm, yet gentle pat on his hip. Dick let out deep sigh, basking in the safety that he felt from this man.

How lucky was he? How lucky was Dick to have this? He could have this moment, this _soft_ moment of being close to his father, being held by such a special man – after years of missing out on a parent's love and affection. There was no one to tell him he couldn't just sit here like a child in the man's lap. There was no one to tell him to hurry up and grow up. There was no one to make fun of him – and even then, Dick had a feeling he'd blush for a brief moment, before telling them to shut it; all the while continuing to enjoy his father's kindness and indulgence.

What a blessing; what a _true_ and _beautiful_ gift.

It was funny how, in one breath, he didn't want to be treated like a child, but in the next breath, he basked in these soft moment like the driest sponge soaking up water. He supposed, in that very moment, it was better to endure his father's insistence at childlike punishments if he could have these warm, soft, and gentle moments like this.

The tradeoff was well worth it.

There was another sigh that escaped Dick's breathing, his body relaxing even further in the hold. He was getting tired again. His eyes were slowly drooping closed. Wouldn't it be nice just to stay right where he was until morning? Maybe then he wouldn't be haunted by the nightmare. Maybe his nightmare would be too afraid to come after him if he were inside these strong, protecting arms. Wouldn't it be nice to have a safe slumber? After all, his father would protect him, right?

But before Dick could fully drift into a peaceful sleep, there was a low sigh; the vibrations once again flowing from the man to Dick's body.

"Now, tell me about this nightmare you've been having."

Dick's eyes popped open, the panic washing over him in an awakening alarm.

"Do I have to?"

There was a snort and a firm pat on his lower hip.

"No, but then maybe I'll reconsider my _extreme_ generosity tonight and we can continued this talk in your room, hm?"

_Good ol` Dad and his ever perfect coercing ways._

There was a forlorn sigh.

"_Fine_…

"I'm sorry, Dick, but this is very important," said Slade, truly sounding regretful; patting him once more softly. "I need to know what this nightmare is since it's greatly affecting you so much. Please understand, your health and wellbeing are my first priorities here."

Dick only nodded. He understood where his father was coming from, but it certainly didn't make it any easier, that was for sure. He just wasn't sure how well he could articulate the nightmare without breaking down and crying. He honestly didn't want to do that. But to voice those deaths out loud, only to see them flash before his eyes in his waking moments was a bit too much for his gentle heart.

But Dick felt protected at that moment and he needed that. It was different than talking to the man on the phone. He was surrounded by strong, warm arms that were powerful enough to literally punch through stone walls, but were soft enough to give tender hugs. Here, he was safe. Here, nothing could harm him. Here, he could be the child that he was.

So, in the soft, protecting arms, Dick continued to sit in his father's lap as he began to relate the nightmare. Slade didn't let him leave out any details. It was hard talking about the world that had appeared so lifeless in his dream. He hated speaking about the horrible crimson sky, the landscape filled with corpses, and the demonic crows that feasted greedily. But he remained stoic as best as he could through it.

It was when he had to talk about the deaths of those he loved dearly that he begun to break down. Hot tears slipped down his cheeks before he could stop himself. His shoulders shook from his effort to hold back his tears, yet they wouldn't listen to him. This was why he didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to cry about something that hadn't happened. He didn't want to verbalize any potential of it, either. He _hated_ remembering those images. He _hated_ seeing them dead.

It was his worst fear of all.

He couldn't bear to lose any more of his friends and family. He had already lost his parents, he had already watched them die once; but the thought of losing his friends and his new family was more than he could handle. He'd been given a new chance. It was as if the nightmare was telling him not to get used to it – because it could all be taken away in an instant.

Slade was patient in perfect kindness as Dick choked out the final bits of this horrible moment inside his dream. The man's hand tenderly stroked his back, soothing the troubled nature inside Dick's heart. Never before had Dick felt and appreciated such a patient man. He wasn't the only one that had grown – Slade, too, had grown in ways that never had imagined. Dick couldn't have done this without that patience and soft care.

_Unfortunately_…

There was more to the dream.

Somehow, though, Dick couldn't say more.

How could he? How could he explain who that creature was? He couldn't tell Slade that it was some evil, random person. The man would question, drill, and extract every last detail of his appearance from Dick. It wouldn't take him much longer to make the connection – that horrible, evil creature was actually Dick's opposite.

And then what?

What would Slade think? What would the man say, then?

He was losing his mind, wasn't he? Dick had to be going crazy, just like his doppelganger had mocked and taunted. He was losing the final shreds of his sanity; the tattered strips becoming dust to be scattered in the wind. If he told Slade, what would the man tell him? Would he confirm this fact? Would he have a face of pity? Of comfort? Or would he show a face of fear?

A face of fear or a face of pity were the two things Dick did not want to see. He couldn't handle it – it would only confirm that something was wrong; that something was _very wrong_. It would only confirm that he truly was going insane.

He couldn't let that happen, _no matter what_.

"Oh, Dick," murmured Slade finally, when there was a pause in Dick's narrative; the man's arms tightening around him in a protecting manner. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," whispered Dick, unable to stop his shoulders from trembling. He hadn't said everything – he _couldn't_. Was Slade going to press for more information? What was he going to do? Could Dick truly deny his father such information?

He had no choice.

"I know, but you've been suffering alone," said Slade, his voice extremely pained. "What kind of father am I when my son is suffering so much?"

"Dad, really, it's not your fault. I'm the one who didn't say anything," said Dick, feeling bad now. It wasn't Slade's fault; it was his. "You can't fix everything."

"I can try," drawled Slade, deeply chuckling and sending more welcoming tremors through Dick's body. He giggled softly, appreciating Slade's desire to help and protect him.

There were a few moments of silence as Dick stayed inside the hug, never wanting to leave it again. But his heart was pounding inside his chest; worried if he would be pressed further. The anxious anxiety was increasing his heart rate – all because he knew what his answer would be. And, in the end, he would hate himself for it.

Then, his father's quiet voice spoke up; never failing.

"Is there anything else?"

There was a pause. Gentle breathing could be heard within the room. There was a swallow and the tightening of arms around a large neck. A heart pounded harder, threatening to burst through its cavity.

"No, sir," whispered Dick.

It was in that very moment that Dick knew he had just lied. Even after the man had been _so soft_ and _so compassionate_, Dick had just repaid him by breaking his promise.

It made Dick feel very sick to his stomach and utterly disgusted with his actions.

He wanted nothing more than to open his mouth at that moment and confess to lying. If this is what it felt like, he never wanted to lie to his father again. He was having a literal physical reaction to it and he absolutely despised it. His stomach was churning and his heart was twisting inside his chest. He desperately needed it to stop. If he confessed, it would go away, right?

Unfortunately, his mouth wouldn't listen to him. His heart cried out to him to clear the air, to relieve the horrible feeling that was rising inside his stomach, but his voice had no strength. His heart pleaded with him to release the pressure, but his mind rejected all petitions.

After all, it wasn't exactly normal for someone to be confronted with their dark self. It wasn't normal to hear that dark self claim it was going to destroy everything that Dick had ever known. It wasn't normal to hear that same dark self claim that it would kill its opposite – meaning Dick.

It was certainly not normal to interact with that dark self so much. It felt so _real_. It was more than just a nightmare. Dick truly felt as if he were there, living every single horrible moment. And when that doppelganger showed up every time at the end, taunting him, mocking him, threatening him, Dick couldn't help be thoroughly frightened for his sanity.

Would Slade be worried for his sanity, too, if Dick told him this part of the nightmare?

"Are you sure? Don't leave anything out. You're sure you've remembered everything?" asked Slade with a gentle pat on the back. Dick's breath caught in his throat; completely frozen in the moment.

Fate had given him a second chance.

What would happen if he chose to listen to it? If he revealed what he was holding back, what would that do for the future? Would it alter the course of events? Could a simple choice of choosing between telling the truth and telling a lie really be the separation of paths, a fork in the road? Could such a choice really transcend higher than just the outcome of whether or not he would be punished for a poor mistake?

Dick wouldn't know it at that moment, but his simple choice would have that much power. Sometimes in life, a single choice truly did have that much supremacy – whether for good or for ill. Most of the time, however, such makers of these choices will never know until it's too late to alter the course of the path they have chosen to step forward upon.

However, even when such a choice seems irreparable and the path discouraging, there's always a chance to fix things.

"Yes, sir, I'm sure I've remembered everything," whispered Dick, closing his eyes as he submitted to the lie he had just spoken. It was just _one_ lie. His father wouldn't find out. He didn't need to find out. No one needed to know about _him_. No one needed to know what truly lurked inside Dick's mind.

_I'm sorry…_

_But no one must know._

_Not even you, Dad._

Of course, that was what Dick thought. He thought that nothing would come from a single decision. Unfortunately, one lie generally leads to another. Thus, his sole choice would bring about great consequences; a solitary choice that would shake the very foundations of his heart. If he had chosen the other path, certain events would not play out and perhaps a life could have been spared a deep amount of emotional pain – a life he could've rescued from the heartache. But this was not to be, due to his single choice. However, despite the poor choice he had just chosen, not all would be lost.

There was always hope for change, for a second chance, for eventual renewal – even when part of the journey was a terrible one.

There was tired sigh.

"Well, this nightmare certainly is disturbing," said Slade. "I don't understand why you would be having such a nightmare and a recurring one at that. Perhaps your mind is worried about something? _Mmm_… You aren't playing any violent video games or watching any movies of that sort, are you?"

"No, sir," said Dick, shaking his head and beginning to feel sleepy again. "Beast Boy likes to get those old horror movies, but they're not _this_ scary. Gotham feels like a happy unicorn fairy tale compared to this nightmare."

Slade snorted.

"That is far more disturbing than I can begin to state." There was another exhale of breath and a pat on the back. "All right, imp, time for bed."

"Mmm…" murmured Dick, tightening his hold around Slade's neck. He was too comfortable to be moved at that moment. He wanted to stay in these warm, protecting arms all night long. He felt the gentle tremors of chuckling melding into his body. The man that he refused to let go slowly stood, hefting him up into the air. Dick's legs automatically curled upward, just as arms move to support his weight; a gentle hand patting his seat.

In his sleep muddled mind, Dick had to admit, he rather liked being carried like this. There were times when he hated being treated like a child. But this side of being a child he could get used to all too well. When he was younger, after the deaths of his parents, he hadn't known such things. Bruce never carried him like this, nor did he offer any physical affection. Dick had been starved for it, but had buried that need deep within his heart.

But now, there was no need to bury it. He could have as much as he wanted whenever he wanted. And at that very moment, he was exhausted. What better time for his father to carry him to bed and tuck him in – all to chase away the nightmares? And with that thought in his mind, Dick began to slip in and out of sleep, basking in the warmth and protection that he felt.

All because of those strong arms.

Slade stepped down the hallway and to the boy's bedroom; holding the extremely tired boy in his arms. He found that he wasn't at all bothered by the task. Once he entered the bedroom, he lowered the boy to sit onto the bed. Dick's shirt was dirty from the strenuous day of training and in no condition to be slept in – neither were his pants. With a sigh, He pulled Dick to his feet – although, the child wavered precariously, his eyes blinking drowsily – and he patted the sleepy boy on the cheek, trying to rouse him.

"Dick, you need to change. Your clothes are filthy."

The boy mumbled something underneath his breath. Slade tried to coax him out of sleep, but it just wasn't working. The boy was shot finally – exhaustion complete. Then, the boy lifted his arms and a content, almost childlike expression filled his young features. Slade raised an eyebrow, letting out a snort once he realized what was going on.

"I am not going to dress you, you silly boy."

Slade was met with that pleasant, contented expression; those arms never moving down. Even in his sleep, the adorable brat was stubborn. Slade bit back a sigh and grabbed the bottom of the boy's shirt, effectively lifting it away from his body. Arms collapsed at his sides, the boy slightly wavering and blinking sleepily once more. Just as Slade was going to toss the shirt aside, he stopped suddenly, seeing the marred scars that decorated the bare skin. He could readily see the three bullet wounds that had been left by the Joker.

One resided on his arm, another on his shoulder, and the final visible one marked a section in his chest – one that was dangerously close to his heart. Slade found himself lifting a hand to lightly touch that scar. His throat contracted as he swallowed, pain clenching his heart as his finger glanced against the scar.

Slade had to consider the boy lucky. Bullet wounds didn't always heal nicely, especially when shot at such a close distance. The scar tissue was more than apparent on the boy's skin, but it wasn't horrible as some of the healed wounds Slade had seen in Vietnam.

The bullet wounds had sunken into Dick's skin, however. It was obvious he'd been shot – a small, gaunt section of skin which attested to a hole once being there. How _awful_ that such a mark had its placing on this child's body. And what was worse? There was _more than one_. The boy had been shot _four times_, the other unseen one on his calf. He'd been an even younger child than he was now when it had occurred. He'd been through so much at such a tender age.

And even before that…

Slade had seen it once before. It had been about six months ago, two months into the time Slade had taken the boy away from the Tower. Dick had burned himself somehow while cooking and had shed his shirt in the process. When Slade had seen the bullet wounds for the first time, after only hearing about them, the sight of them had turned his stomach with nausea.

But then, he had forced the boy around to show him further scars that he'd been trying to hide from Slade.

What Slade had been expecting, he still wasn't sure. The boy had acted embarrassed about showing his scars. Slade had figured some adolescent reason for the shy, yet nervous way Dick had backed away from him. He had also figured it couldn't have been a big deal – and his 'apprentice' should have no secrets from him.

Well, that was what he had thought at the time.

But one thing Slade was sure of, he hadn't been expecting to see the ridged, striped skin of lash marks on the boy's back. They crisscrossed the majority of his lower torso with a few stray stripes on his upper torso. The skin had healed, the color unchanged much, but the lash was a horrible creature; creating risen flesh to forever scar the young boy's skin. For the amount of scars that resided on Dick's back, Slade estimated that he had to have received around twenty lashes.

All twenty of them had been lashed with unforgiving evil across an eleven year old's back.

Slade blinked, his mood awakening from his deep thinking as Dick suddenly plopped onto the bed, still half asleep. He lifted his legs slightly, wiggling them once. A soft chuckle escaped Slade's lips, the dark mood lifting slightly. Even with the horrific past, the boy was still that: _a boy_. The last time he had dressed a child for bed had been _many_ years ago. He never imagined he would find himself in this situation again. He briefly wondered if Dick were taking _full_ advantage of having a parent again in his life.

_Probably was_.

_Well_, there was no real harm with indulging the child.

Although, Slade had an inkling that if the boy had been awake and possessed his full senses, he would've been undeniably embarrassed about standing in the same room with his father, wearing only a pair of boxers – of which design and color would remain unknown for the poor boy's sake.

Needless to say, Slade didn't allow the half awake, pleasantly contented, and thoroughly oblivious child to remain so for long. He quickly retrieved a long shirt from one of the drawers. When Slade had turned back to slip it over the boy's head, he stopped short, sharply inhaling and feeling the air nearly strangle him.

Dick had turned around and was fiddling with the blankets in his tiredness, trying to find something beneath them; all the while giving Slade a full view of those old scars.

Slade's breath was caught in his throat, nearly suffocating him.

He never wanted to see them again.

But they were burning inside his eye once more. Slade swallowed, closing his eye briefly and wishing he could block out the image. No child should've gone through something like that – especially when that child was Dick. He was such a special boy. His heart was unlike anything Slade had ever had the privilege of knowing. Despite the silly mistakes that Dick sometimes made, there was just something _so good_ about him.

In a swift moment, Slade had opened his eye again and was at Dick's side; quickly turning him around, lifting his arms up, and slipping the nightshirt over his thin body – effectively blocking out all old scars. Dick's hair became ruffled like a bird's nest, but he still had that sappy, pleasant look on his face. Slade helped the exhausted boy into bed, easily tucking him in underneath the warm comforter.

A contented sigh passed from Dick's lips as he settled softly. Slade carded a hand through the boy's hair; lacing his fingers through those black strands.

"Why does everything bad happened to you?" murmured Slade in question. It had been a quiet question, one spoken to the universe and not to an actual person. Thus, Slade was a little startled to hear a reply from the half asleep child.

"Not everything… bad," whispered Dick, his voice mumbled with his tiredness.

"Oh?" responded Slade, matching the boy's whisper; not really believing his answer. How could he? The child had been through so much terror in his young age. "Name one good thing that's happened to you, hm?"

"_You_."

Slade inhaled sharply. The boy had spoken almost instantly, without delay nor long thought – as if the very term had been ingrained inside his heart. Such an answer came when the child wasn't fully aware of himself; therefore, it could've only come from the heart. Dick meant that single word with his very soul. Already, the boy was breathing deeply, unaware of just how much he had touched his father's heart, mind, and soul.

Slade swallowed once, his throat contracting somewhat as it pushed the lump down that had built inside.

He leaned down, gently brushing black bangs from the boy's forehead with a thumb; his fingers sliding into the hair near the temple. For a moment, he hesitated. It was very brief, however, and he gave into his fatherly instincts ever so effortlessly. Slade pressed his lips against the child's brow and kissed him softly.

"_Good night, son_," whispered Slade. "_Sweet dreams_."

ooOOOOOoo

* * *

**Next Time:** Chapter Nine: Tact – The Tower goes through a number of conflicting emotions with enough puppy love to make certain people sick and Dick cannot help but begin to go insane. And through it all, Beast Boy discovers the difference between tack and tact, while Dick learns that some children aren't always as blessed as he was to have a father like Slade in his life.

**Author's Notes:** This chapter, _my word_. First of all, in the original outline, Dick lying to Slade just wasn't there. I _never_ planned it. It wasn't supposed to happen – neither the aftermath that's sure to follow. (_Please_, it's _Slade_) This was something that occurred as I wrote these recent two chapters. When it first popped up, I seriously felt like shaking the boy and demanding, "What are you making me do here, child?! You _know_ this will hit the fan eventually! And _I_ know and _you_ know that isn't going to be a pleasant experience!"

Perfect example of characters having a mind of their own sometimes. Dick is alive, I tell you. LOL.

But yeah. Another thing that wasn't there was the fact of Slade being so lenient. Originally, I had written a swat there – I had figured the same as Dick. But as I was editing it, Slade proved that he was his own person just as Dick had; thus, deciding to be _completely_ lenient with his son. It brings multiple things, I suppose. It adds beautiful fluff, but also adds an intense amount of drama when this hits the fan.

Because… at this point, we all know Slade is gonna find out – because he's _Slade_. The only question is… _when?_

I wonder… Who will be more frightening? Slade, when he finds out Dick lied to him? Or Trigon, with his fiery rise to power?

*pause for effect*

_Slade_, hands down – that's my vote. Throw your votes in today and—*enter some annoying infomercial here* (LOL)

Thanks for reading! Next update will be on **June 20th, Friday!** See ya next time! Reviews = love and ideas! ^.^


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